Shards of Stardust
by KieranHowl
Summary: Sam walked off, Leaving Dean, artifact in hand, staring out at the still unforgiving water before him. His mind set on getting Cas and Grace back where they belonged. (Sequel to "An Angel's Grace. Better summary still to come.)
1. Child of God!

The last thing she remembered was a forest and Dean finally finishing what needed to be done, now she was coming to on the hardwood floor of some rustic, run down looking bar.

"Hello, Avarin." She vaguely recognized the man's face but from where?

"It's been such a long time. Don't strain yourself, just take it nice and easy." It finally dawned on her.

"Chuck?" he smiled but she just looked on, confused. "Why am I here? Where is here?"

"It's fantastic, isn't it? It's a place of my own creation." Okay, maybe she hadn't died, maybe she'd just gone mad and was dreaming.

"That's it…I'm just delusional."

"Afraid not, Avarin."

"Why do you keep calling me that?"

"Because that's your true name." she quirked a brow at his insistence "No, my Name is Grace…at least, I think it is."

"Yes, that was your name when you were human, it appears though, that some of your former abilities broke through the barrier."

"When I was human? And Barriers, what barriers?" Chuck just smiled and held out a hand to help her off the hard floor, she took it and brushed off her clothes.

"It's been so long, my little Ava." She looked at him like he was insane now, "Okay, chuck, this isn't funny, what's going on?" he gripped her shoulders and looked into her eyes, "Oookay…this is awkward."

"Avarin, I'm your father." She hesitated for a second before cracking a smile and laughing, "No…my father is John Winchester, and you're crazy." Chuck frowned and ushered her over to one of the booths,

"This might hurt a bit."

"What're you—JESUS!" he touched her forehead and memories came flooding back, of him before he was well…him, and of a woman with reddish hair and dark eyes clad in black, of the first angels created, Gabriel, Michael, Lucifer…memories of Castiel, memories of Cain and Abel as children…

"Stop…" more memories flooded her mind, helping chuck create life on earth, tasked with forming gardens and nature itself, her favorite thing being the stargazer lily's and water with it's ability to reflect whatever it wanted someone to see, including different sides to one's self.

"STOP!" there was a sudden surge of energy as she blasted him back and her body slumped against the high rise booth seat.

"I remember."

"We have a lot to talk about."

* * *

It had been almost a year since Grace had vanished from their life, the Day Dean had killed her he'd sent Sam to the store and left the sleeping angel Lay. They'd held a funeral but it had been small since none of them knew many people, Cas had taken it the hardest and since then he'd been kind of a hard ass, actually they'd all been stressed, Dean had relapsed without going full demon, and Sam had just become more stressed after it all went down.

"Anything?"

"12 voicemails. LoJack on the Impala has clearly been disabled. So a big heaping scoop of nothing. We need Rowena to hold up her end of the bargain—now." Cas looked annoyed as he turned, exasperation was clear.

"What?"

"Nothing." Castiel sighed as he began to pace the room, "it's—it's just if she removes the mark using "The book of the damned" what of the consequences?"

"Which are what?"

"Dean said—"

"Dean guessed!" Castiel looked taken-a-back at Sam's sudden outburst, but he understood why.

"Cas. What're we supposed to do, huh? Just sit on our asses, do nothing?"

"No, we find Dean."

"And then what?! The only thing that stopped Cain was death. Do you wanna kill Dean? Because I don't. not even after…" Sam stopped as the angel narrowed his eyes.

"Grace…" both men sat in an uncomfortable silence now, since the youngest of the Winchesters had died everything had been tense, Dean had left not long after, Sam was pissed he'd let Dean send him off and Cas…well Cas took it the hardest, he had actually attacked Dean for not telling him their hidden agenda.

"She's gone…and neither of us got to say goodbye." There was a distant look on the angel's face as Sam's voice softened.

"The only way I know how to save my brother is to cure the mark. and, yes, I know there will be consequences, we save Dean."

* * *

"So, I'm not an angel?" Chuck smiled, sitting across from her, "No, you're my daughter."

"You understand how weird this is, right? I was on earth for 23 years as Grace Winchester now all of a sudden I'm God's Daughter?"

"I understand, it's a lot to take in."

"A lot to take in? My life was a lie!"

"I'm sorry about that."

"You looked me in the eyes once and told me I wasn't even in your supernatural books, was that a lie too?"

"You weren't supposed to be…"

"What kind of—who the fuck does that!?"

"Ava, calm down, let me explain." He snapped his fingers and a large glass of hot chocolate appeared in front of her.

"Don't call me Ava, and how did you—"

"Like I said, I'm your father, and Avarin _is_ your real name."

"I'm like Luke fucking Skywalker… I swear to…well, you, if you tell me that Star Wars is really an alternate reality to ours I'm going to smack you." He shrugged, "Okay, then I won't tell you."

Chuck shifted the topic back to where it needed to be, "You were in the books, but you were never meant to become a main character, I had no intention of ever making you a Winchester, but as I worked on the manuscripts I realized, those boys needed you."

"And Castiel?"

"That was…unexpected." She sipped on her hot chocolate as he spoke "You kind of rewrote the story a bit, much to my dismay."

"What?"

"You took on a mind of your own after a certain point and I lost control of your character in the books."

"So…?"

"So, to put it bluntly you became a sentient character, took control despite having no memories of who you really were."

"And that's Gods daughter?"

"Correct."

* * *

Horns blared in the distance as Dean came to on the carpeted floor of his hotel room, groaning he pulled himself off the floor to check his phone, seeing 12 missed messages from Sam he tossed his phone to the side and let his beer run down his face as he knocked it back to wake up.

"I'm good." He looked over at the pictured he'd given to Grace, the night before he'd done what he'd needed to and ran a hand down his face, "I'm good."

* * *

"Hello, Boys" Rowena sat at her desk, sipping whatever kind of teas she had made that morning, "Just in time for tea—u-unless something on your mind?"

"Five things, actually." He cocked the gun as the red haired witch turned to look at him, "Hollow tips with witch-killing brew."

"How exciting for you. Your NRA will be beside themselves with pride."

"No more games, Rowena. Do the spell now."

"Or what exactly? Come on, Samuel! You and I both know that's nothing but a bluff. Charlie may have cracked the codex, but who's going to read it if I'm gone? Not to mention handling the ingredients, getting the measurements just right—unless, of course, either of you have spent years of your life studying with the greats, mastering the intricacies of high witchcraft? But forgive me. Maybe you have." She sat back down and sipped on her tea.

"I know you're upset. We all are. Poor dean. Let's just have a nice wee cup of tea…and negotiate." Sam un-cocked the gun and put the safety back on as he stepped towards Rowena.

"What do you want?" the ginger chuckled "Oh, well, we know what I wanted, soiled the sheets on that one, didn't we? Let's talk about what I'll take—My freedom guaranteed and the codex." Castiel looked between the red head and his friend,

"Sam, you can't be—"

"Do you know which spell?" Rowena looked at his with certainty in her eyes,

"I do."

"Sam. This is a mistake."

* * *

"So, that's the story." Grace stared at him incredulously, "Wait a minute, so not only am I god's child, THE GOD, but I have a crazy ass aunt who hated what you made and wants to destroy it so things can go back to the way they were when it was dark in the universe?"

"Your aunt is a very…jealous woman, that's why I sealed her away in a box."

"A box…"

"Yes."

"And you never thought to just—oh I don't know, destroy the thing?"

"I can't destroy, I can only create." Grace gave him a blank look "But all those plagues, like the one on Pharaoh, and the flood with Noah?"

"Those were unfortunate, but with Noah, something had gone wrong and I needed to start over, you know, it was actually you who chose the rain."

"Wait, what? Are you really telling me I flooded the earth?" he just smiled "I've never been prouder, I was just going to have the angels wipe out humanity, but you came up with a better idea, it was a very proud father moment for me, Ava."

* * *

" _Sumsu mimma ezebu ila ma ikkibu lu."_ Rowena looked up from the codex "S-Something made by god, but forbidden to man."

"Forbidden?" Sam paced the room as the red head explained, "The forbidden fruit?" Cas suggested, but it was doubtful the codex could have been talking about the apple from the garden.

"No." there was just no way it was possible. "The actual apple is the first ingredient?" there was no way they were serious, but Rowena just shared a look with Castiel and Sam gave up.

"Sumsu mimma Ezebu Lu."

"okay, uh, what's next?"

"Something made by man, but forbidden by god."

"Okay, well, god forbade false idols, right?"

"The golden calf." Another spot on guess by the Angel, but of course, he'd been around since the dawn of time so naturally he'd know the answers. Sam just looked tired.

"Wasn't that destroyed?"

"Sumsu Mimma Sen Arramu." Sam crossed his arms as she continued reading.

"Great. What's the third ingredient?"

"Oh." She sounded uncertain if she should tell them.

"What."

"The third ingredient, it's impossible."

"What is it?"

"Loosely translated—my heart." Castiel, tired of the back and forth pipped up again,

"It's not impossible at all."

"Not my literal heart, feathers. Something I love, the spell calls for me to kill it."

"A sacrifice?"

"Precisely. The book will grant freedom from the curse, but it wants something in return."

"Well, then give it." It was plain and simple, but it wasn't easy, "Bring me something I love, and I'll kill it. I want my freedom too much to make a fuss over that. The—the problem is, I don't love anything."

"What about Crowley?" Castiel suggested to the witch.

"Happy to kill him, let's not call it love."

"I don't believe you. Everyone loves something…" he trailed off, his mind wandering to Grace as he touched Rowena's forehead, "A polish boy, Oskar."

"I'm sorry, Oskar? You saw Oskar?" looks like they'd found what she loved, Sam broke up the conversation, "Who is he?"

"Who was he? Uh, A peasant boy—his family helped me through some difficulties 300 years ago." Sam's cell phone going off halted the conversation.

"Rudy, what's up?"

* * *

Dean scrubbed his hands clean in the bathroom is some shabby motel, but as he stared at his reflection he suddenly saw Grace staring back, his expression shifted to grief as he reached towards the reflective surface and punched it, shattering the glass and then knocking the built in hair dryer clear off the wall. Proceeding to trash the room before collapsing onto the bed.

"I'm sorry…" he looked at the picture of Grace he kept on the bedside table, "I was supposed to protect you!" he sobbed, a shell of a broken man right now, "Instead I killed you…I drained the life from your eyes and I buried you." He threw the bedside lamp against the far wall, watching it shatter.

"I made you suffer, living life on the road…you could've got out, lived a normal life, with Cas even, but you kept coming back to pull Sammy and I out of the fire…it wasn't even your job!" he threw the other bedside lamp,

"It wasn't—wasn't your job…"

* * *

"Dean blames himself…" Chuck had turned on one of the Bar's TV'S and it showed Dean as he trashed his rented room

"It wasn't his fault…" she looked at the TV screen, seeing part of the only family she had known for her 23 years on earth, in tears.

"You have to send me back." She looked at him, there was something in her eyes, something he recognized "I plan to send you back, but now's not the right moment, Avarin."

"I cant stand to watch him suffer, I convinced Cain to give him the mark in the first place, this is my fault."

"You convinced Cain?" she said nothing "Even with that wall up you still managed to astral project, that's impressive."

"Whatever you call it, this is still my fault. I have to fix this…"

* * *

"Don't tell me that's Queso." The droll, mundane voice of Death filled the emptiness of the Bar.

"Yeah—yes, Queso and, uh, Taquito's and Tamales. Homemade by yours truly. All with the bad fat." The horseman sniffed at the death inducing food "Considering it an offering."

"For?" Death pulled one of the Taquito's off the try and dunked it in the cheese dip,

"I want you to kill me." As Death ate the Taquito he walked towards one of the bar stools, "What I find truly fascinating, Dean…mm. that's good. Is that you and I both know that I've bene burned by you Winchesters before, yet you still call."

"Yeah, I know, but not this time, okay? No games, no second thoughts." He set the tray down at the table the horseman chose "I know you know what this is. I know you know what it can do. I've tried to fight it. I've tried to beat it on my own. And I-I can't. I got no moves left—except you" Death examined Dean's arm, seeing the Mark of Cain,

"well, I never thought I'd see the day. My goodness. Dean Winchester has tipped over his king. But I won't kill you, Dean."

Dean stared at the reaper with narrowed eyes, "You're death."

"And that mark on your arm is the first curse. Nothing can kill you."

"Okay, well, forget killing me. Can you get rid of it?"

"I could."

"But…"

"Creatio Ex nihilo god created the earth out of nothing—or so your Sunday-school teacher would have you believe."

"What, so genesis is a lie, eh? Shocker."

"Before there was light, before there was god and the archangels, there wasn't nothing. There was the Darkness." He conveniently left out the bit about who Grace really was, to save him the difficulty of explaining How god had a child.

"A horribly, destructive, amoral force that was beaten back by god and his archangels in a terrible war. God locked the Darkness away where it could do no harm, and he created a mark that would serve as both lock and key, which he entrusted to his most valued lieutenant, Lucifer. But the mark began to assert its own will, revealed itself as a curse, and began to corrupt. Lucifer became jealous of man. God banished lucifer to hell. Lucifer passed the mark to Cain, who passed the mark to you, the proverbial finger in the dike."

"Well, that is just Fan-friggin-tastic, isn't it?" Dean sat at the high rise table, put off by the story, "So I could remove the mark, but only if you're willing to share it with another to ensure the lock remains unbroken and the Darkness remains banned." Dean shook his head, he already knew his answer.

"I'm not doing that…Not to anyone."

"What f I told you I could relocate you somewhere far away, not even on this earth, where you would still be alive, but no longer a danger to yourself or others?"

* * *

"Dean."

" _I gave it a shot, Sammy"_

"Listen to me—whatever you're doing, whatever you've done, please…" he could hear dean chuckle on the other end of the line

" _Hell, I even worked a case. I gave everything I had to beat this thing down"_

"I saw. I saw Rudy."

" _Well, then, you saw what I did."_

"No, that wasn't you."

" _Sure as hell felt like me. Brother, I'm done."_

"No. no, you're not. Dean."

" _Grab a pen. It's time to say goodbye."_

* * *

"Send me back!"

"No, this is between the two of them, you can't interfere—not just yet." Grace watched the Screen.

"If not now, when? And also…how long did I wander before I arrived here?"

"About a year." Her eyes widened "I've been gone that long?"

"Afraid so, Ava...Grace, sorry." She sat back down in the booth, and with a snap of her own fingers this time, refilled her hot chocolate mug with something a bit more…strong.

"you know that stuff will kill you."

"I'm already dead, technically." He quirked an eyebrow at his daughter as he watched the T.V screen.

"Yeah, Okay, Fair point."

* * *

Sam pulled up to what used to be Juanita's Mexican restaurant and hurried inside.

"Hey."

"Sam." Dean stood with Death behind him, in the middle of the now deserted cantina, "What is this?"

"We need to talk."

"Whatever you're thinking of doing, don't. there is another way. You don't need to go with him. You don't need to die! If this is about Grace…"

"It's funny you say that, and this has nothing to do with Grace, She's gone Sam…and she's not coming back."

"We don't know that." Sam hadn't given up hope that there was a way to bring her back, but Dean on the other hand, "It's been almost a year, Sammy. And Truth is, when I left, I thought the only way out was my death. Well, I was wrong, Sam. It's yours."

Sam walked towards his older brother, "What? He's gonna…gonna send you into outer space?"

"No, well, he didn't say outer space."

"This is madness, Dean!"

"Far from it, I'm afraid" Death was now sat on one of the barstools, Cane in hand as he watched the brothers go back and forth, Sam looked at Death spitefully,

"No one's asking you."

"Hear him out!" Dean shouting was never good, it meant things were desperate.

"Our conundrum is simple, Sam. Your brother cannot be killed, and the mark cannot be destroyed, not without inciting a far greater evil than any of us have ever known."

"What evil?" what could possibly be worse that what they'd faced thus far in their lives?

"The darkness."

"What the hell is that?"

"Well, what does it sound like? Does it sound like a good thing?" Sam looked lost, "Even if I remove Dean from the playing field, we're still left with you, loyal, dogged Sam, who I suspect will never rest until he sets his brother free—will never rest until his brother is free f the mark, which simply cannot happen, lest the darkness be set free." Sam looked uncomfortable as the horseman got in his face.

"Then there was the time you stood me up." Sam walked around Death, towards his brother, "You Killed Grace…and you traded my life."

"I had no choice, Sam! She had to die, He told us himself!" He motioned to the Reaper, "And now here I am, willing to life with this thing forever, as long as I know that I and it will never hurt another living thing."

"This isn't you. This doesn't make any sense."

"No, it makes perfect sense. If you stop thinking about yourself for one damn minute."

"It's for the greater good." Death pressed on in his attempt to convince Sam this was the best option, Sam turned, Facing the reaper with anger on his face.

"Was Grace's death for the greater good, huh? She's been dead for a while now and the world's still crap, there's still monsters, people are still dying. Did she die for the greater good?"

"Your sister is more powerful than you know, She's currently with her father, and no, not John Winchester, her real Father."

* * *

"You're trying to kill Sam?"

"Death does what he want's, I don't control him." She was watching her brothers do the same act they'd done for years, this trying to save the world y sacrificing the other was becoming old.

"Dean should know by now nothing with the Winchester line is absolute, he can have Death send him to an alternate universe, and Sam will go to the end of the earth to bring him back, they're…we're all he has left." Chuck looked across the table at his daughter once again.

"You understand so much, and yet so little. There are infinite universes, and each universe has a you and a them, in one universe the you I put on earth is a school teacher who doesn't even know that Sam and Dean exist. And in Another, Sam finished law School and became a lawyer, Dean's is the CEO of a major company and you…well, human you, she died and nothing in the world changed, everything kept spinning."

"You're trying to tell me, they don't need me?"

"No, that's not what I'm telling you. I'm saying, Dean could have kept you alive, he could have ignored Death's prophecy, but in the string of things, we still would have wound up at this exact moment, in one universe or another." He directed her back to the T.V screen

"It's almost time to send you back"

* * *

"You'll never, ever, hear me say that you—the real you—is anything but good. But you're right. Before you hurt…anyone else, you have to be stopped at any cost. I understand." Sam let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and looked at the floor.

"Do it." Death came forward with his scythe, holding it out for Dean, "Please. Do me the honor." Dean took the scythe in his hands and for a second looked like he was about to kill his little brother.

"Close your eyes." Deans voice was almost normal now as he looked down at his little brother, "Sammy, close your eyes."

"Wait. Take these." He fished something out of his jacket pocket "And one day, when you find your way back. Let these be your guide. And they can help you remember what it was to be good…what it was to love." Sam set the Polaroid's on the ground, the ones of them with their mom, before Grace came along and the same picture he'd carried with him after he'd killed her, the one where her bangs were lopsided, and she had a big grin on her face, despite missing her two front teeth.

Sam sighed as he prepared himself for what came next. "It's for family you must proceed, Dean. To become what you are, to become what you've become is a stain on their memory. Do it. Or I will." Dean stared down at the photographs, hesitance playing in his eyes as he held the scythe still.

"Forgive me." He turned, and he swung the scythe right through death himself, neither brother could grasp what had just happened as the reaper crumbled to dust before them.

* * *

"It's time." Grace stared at Chuck with uncertainty, "Just a few minor things before I send you back to Sam and Dean. Be careful not to over due it, your body will still be adjusting to all your abilities returning, you may also experience some fatigue, but that will go away, you should also expect to sleep less, being a cosmic wave of energy you'll find you don't need it much once you've adjusted."

"Well, you've taken to this parenting thing rather quickly."

"Yes well, you are my daughter. Now, go. Those boys need you, and don't do anything with Castiel that a father wouldn't approve of." Grace smirked at him as he rose his hand in the air, about to snap her back to earth,

"A bit too late for that. But not to worry, no little halfling's will come out of it." With a snap of Chucks fingers, Grace was back on earth.

* * *

"This is good. Dean, this is good, the—the mark is off your arm. Nothing crazy happened. You get your baby back." Sam pushed the keys back into Dean's hands as the eldest looked around,

"Yeah. I'm sure everything's perfectly fine." Electricity crackled in the air and both brothers looked up as lighting spread through the clear sky, a sudden bolt hit the ground, Dean walked towards it to investigate.

"Dean?" as he got closer he saw blonde hair splayed around whatever had hit the ground "Uh, Sammy?" Same came over to see what Dean had found and stopped, staring down in shock, there, in a semi-large crater, was Grace, same as she'd looked almost a year ago.

Neither brother knew how this was possible as they'd buried her behind the bunker, but Death had said she'd be back…well, before they'd killed him, of course.

As more lighting struck Dean slid down into the crater to grab his sisters body, "Sammy, a little help?" Sam knelt down so Dean could hand her up to him and climb out just as another bolt struck down,

"Get her in the car." Sam didn't ask any questions as black smoke started erupting from holes in the ground.

"Car. Now!" Both brothers hurried to the Impala, Sam laying Grace flat in the back seat before hurrying to the passenger side. As soon as they were all secure, Dean started the car, threw it into reverse and tried to speed out of there, or he would have if Baby hadn't gotten stuck in a large pot hole.

Neither brother could do anything but lock the doors as the cloud of black smoke sped towards them.

"Dean!"

* * *

So. Welcome to the first chapter of 'Shards of Stardust' this is the sequel to 'An Angel's Grace'. Updates for this might be a bit scarce with school going on right now, but I hope you enjoy it as it does progress.

Please review, I love hearing from my readers, plus it keeps me motivated.


	2. Into the fire

"Dean?" Grace was still asleep in the back of the impala and the eldest Winchester was nowhere to be found, the black smoke was gone and everything looked to be clear. Checking to make sure his sister was secured in the car he looked the doors and wandered off to find Dean.

* * *

"Wait a sec. what do you mean she saved you?"

"Well, you were there. When the storm hit, everything went dark."

"Yeah, but you just disappeared from the car."

"I don't even remember that." The brothers finally made it back to Juanita's after about a 15 minute hike, The impala still stuck in the pot hole.

"Well, I don't remember some woman pulling you out."

"Well, what do you want me to say, okay? Was in the car, and then I wasn't in the car. I was in the field and she was there."

"And she told you she was the darkness?"

"No. she was wearing a nametag. What do you think?" Sam flashed him a 'Really' look, both of them knew this was no time to be sarcastic.

"She thanked me."

"For what?"

"Setting her free." Sam looked down at the ground, guilt reading clear on his face.

"I set her free."

"I doesn't matter."

"I mean, yeah, you said the spell, but I had the mark, so lock and key."

"So, what, now she feels indebted to you or something?"

"I dunno, she's the darkness. Does she feel anything?" Dean looked back to the car, "and that's all she said, thank?"

"Yeah. She was weird. But she had this energy about her, this—this focus. But, yeah, not a talker.

"So we know jack?"

"Well, we know what she looks like, and we know that she's evil. The question is, what does she know? I mean, she's been locked away since the beginning of time. Does she even know what a cheese burger is? All I know is that we set her free, and we're gonna put her back in, no matter what it takes." E got into the car.

"What the…" he got out and looked at the tire, still stuck in the water filled pot hole, "You were gonna just let me get in the car?" he asked his brother, staring at him with an unimpressed expression.

"You were on a roll." Sam shrugged, half smiling, half serious.

* * *

The boys pulled up to quite a mess, construction vans were empty, and the crew scattered about on the road, a few feet away a now deceased family still sat in their car. The brothers cocked their guns as they walked into the scene. Empty shell casings littered the pavement as they walked, assessing the situation. Grace was still passed out in the back seat of the Impala.

"The hell happened here?" a car door closed behind them, and for a second Dean thought maybe Grace had woken up, but no such luck as he turned to see no one.

"Hello?" from around the back of one of the utility vehicles stepped a man with black veins, "That's not a happy sight. Hey, easy, buddy. Just stay cool. Till we figure out what's going on here, okay?" the man ignored Dean and kept inching closer.

"Kind of narrowing my options here."

"We don't even know what he is." A sudden gunshot drew both boy's attention of a female officer, "Weapons on the ground. Slow."

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, Whoa. Easy, officer. We're FBI, okay? We got badges." They both went to reach for their fake ID's but she cocked the gun, getting ready to fire again.

"Don't. show me some skin."

"-Huh?"

"-What?" both brothers looked confused at her request, "Both of you."

"is this, like, a "Magic Mike" moment?" Dean tried to break the tension but she kept her gun steady,

"Your throats!"

"Oh, you thing we're—we're…we don't even know wat these are."

"I need to know you're not one of 'em."

"-one of what?"

"Let's go!" Sam and Dean asked no further questions, "Okay, All right, look. Huh? See?" she finally lowered her weapon and leaned against the hood of the parked squad car.

"Good. Let's see those ID's." she was injured.

"Yeah, whoa. All right. Take—take it easy, okay?" Sam and Dean got closer to see just how badly she was hurt, "Bad guys?"

"Rebar. I sought cover. I fell."

"Okay. Why don't you tell us what happened here?"

"911 reported a family in distress. I arrived to find several hostiles attacking said family. Oh, god, it was horrible."

"How long you been on the job, Deputy?"

"Uh…okay, three weeks." Dean wasn't sure what this woman was thinking now, three weeks on the job and she rushed into this kind of situation, "Okay. I'm Dean. This is Sam." In the moment he'd forgotten he had a comatose woman in the back of his car.

"Just breath. Okay? Speak plain. What happened?"

"They killed them all."

"Who?"

"Road crew. It was—they were like rabid dogs. I fired off a warning, but they didn't stop. They…"

"You killed all these?" Sam went to check the bodies "I knew some of the boys, but they didn't look—something was wrong. They were…"

"They're not human." Dean looked from his brother back to the woman, "Hey, look, I can stitch that up, but, uh, it's gonna be ugly. You got a hospital around here?"

"Up the road."

"All right." He put the safety back on his gun and helped her to the car, then it finally dawned on him,

"Oh shit."

"You have a body back here?" the woman looked alarmed, "She's not dead, all right? She's just sleeping."

"Looks dead to me."

"She's been through hell." The left out the part where she literally crashed back to earth like a bolt of lightning as they propped her up against the back, passenger side door.

* * *

"Well, this is encouraging." The hospital staff was in a similar state to the road crew, passed out on the pavement. "Wait here." Sam and Dean climbed out of the Impala to try and find someone who could help.

"And uh…leave her alone. Don't touch her." It'd be bad if this was the first thing Grace saw when she woke up, but neither of them knew she would actually be of use.

"So, what are you thinking?"

"I don't really know what to think. And I don't know what to expect in there, in here, so I'm just gonna chuck it all in."

"This is the darkness, right? It's got to be."

"So, what, she shows u and everything goes "28 days later"? we didn't."

"Yeah, but I was in the car, So was Grace. And you were—you said she protected you. So maybe it wasn't her. Maybe it was the smoke, and anybody who was outside, like the road crew, were exposed. I mean, you saw that. That wasn't human."

"So, what? The smoke mutated 'em? Sure, why not? Just a couple of hours ago, I killed Death, and She bolted out of the sky like a meteor, I'm pretty much open for anything. But mutated into what?" Sam shrugged his shoulder, uncertain of what else to say, they'd certainly dealt with weirder shit than this.

"All right, you know what, one thing at a time. Let's just get her some help and then we'll deal with whatever comes next."

* * *

Castiel knelt down, hiding from the police who had arrived just outside the farm house he'd been squatting at since "Killing" Crowley

"Brothers, sisters…I know I have no right, I have no standing to ask you—you anything, but these are desperate times, so ask I must. I confess my transgressions, and I will accept whatever punishment you dole out. Now, I…I ask you to help me. Please. Save me from doing worse." He stayed for another moment before standing and walking away.

* * *

Grace could hear him, but she couldn't move. Castiel was desperate.

" _Cas…"_ she could see him, wandering, alone, but there was something wrong with him, _"Castiel!"_ she tried again but still nothing, as she watched him run from the oncoming squad of police, she turned her head to the sky, blue eyes reflecting the stars she loved so much, she had no idea that she was just a projection, that she wasn't really there.

" _Why don't you help him? Can you not see he is lost, and afraid?"_ her words seemed to be falling on deaf ears,

" _He needs you, but you ignore his calls…he needs me…but I can't get to him. Somebody, please help."_

* * *

"What's he doing?" the baby fussed in the back ground

"-Dean…"

"We made a promise."

"To do what? Charge out there, guns blazing? We don't even know how to kill them." Dean pointed at the officer, "She does. Chest, right? I'm guessing heart. Plus, we left Grace in the car. You wanna let them turn her into one of these freaks?" Sam nodded his head, Dean gad a point.

"This is madness.

"No. No, that is madness." Dean pointed out the window where the road crew was amassing, "This is horse sense."

"Save Mike's baby, but shoot mike? Tell me where that makes sense."

"Look, we can just wait for them to die."

"And what about Grace?" Dean looked at his brother with desperation, "We just got her back, Sammy. How long will it take for them to die? And when they infect others, how long is that? No, we stay here that baby dies, and so does Grace." Sam looked out the window to where the car was parked,

"We did this, Sam. Okay? We broke it, we bought it you know there's no other way." Dean's cell rang as Sam mulled over his words.

"Where the hell are you, Cas?"

" _I'm…I'm okay."_

"You don't sound okay."

" _Dean, I am fine. Besides, what I have, you can't help me."_

"What do you mean, what you have?"

" _Dean, just please tell Sam—Rowena escaped with the book of the damned and the codex."_

"Okay, forget Rowena. Where are you?"

" _Now, you tell me—the Mark…"_ Dean couldn't believe this, after all this time he still came before the angels own well-being.

"Oh, really? You're worried about me after everything—"

" _Dean, is it gone?"_

"Yes, I'm good. I mean, I'm not great."

" _That's two of us. This is good news."_ Dean put the phone on speaker "Hey, Cas."

" _Sam."_

"Okay, your turn. Talk to us about the Darkness."

" _Why would I talk about the Darkness?"_ the angel did not like where this conversation was going.

"Because it's free." Breaking the news to the angel seemed to bring silence over the line.

" _No, that can't be."_

"Removing the mark opened some kind of lock. Dean Saw her."

" _The Darkness is a woman?"_

"Well, that's what we're asking you. We were hoping you could tell us wat kind of defcon screwed we are. Cas?"

" _Sam, Dean…goodbye. It may be sometime before we see one another again."_

"Wait, Cas. Cas!" both brothers had omitted that Grace had fallen when the Darkness had come , they knew the angel would have come speeding back at that, but he seemed like he was on a mission and didn't need a distraction.

"FBI, my ass."

* * *

When Castiel turned around, two other angels stood, arms crossed and blades out.

"Brothers."

"You called for our help, but we did not come for you. We received another call." Castiel titled his head, narrowing his eyes. "There was no one else with me, I assure you."

"No, we received a request to assist you. From someone higher up." Higher up, that didn't make any sense, Naomi was dead and God was M.I.A

"Who?" the men shared a look "Avarin." Castiel looked at his Brothers as something came back to him, memories of a little girl, but there was no way.

"Avarin?"

"Yes, Castiel, you might know her as Grace Winchester." There was no way she could have sent out a call for help,

"There's no way. Grace is dead. Dean killed her."

"And now she's back on earth. You are lucky she is n your side Castiel, or we'd kill you right now." Why had Sam or Dean not told him she was back? It didn't make sense, not that it was safe for her to be near him right now.

* * *

"Sir, there are rumors from hell."

"Rumors?"

"The Darkness has been released." Crowley laughed as he approached his henchmen "The darkness? Please. Myth. It's a bed time story. Something that daddy demons threaten toddler demons with to get them to eat their vegetables. Even if it was true, what the concern? Darkness, king of Hell—natural allies."

"It's just—something happened, sir."

"Something happened?"

"Something else fell with the Darkness." Crowley turned, interest Piqued. "What?"

"The female Winchester, Sir, She shot to earth like a meteor." There was a tug of a smile on Crowley's lips, "So, she's back from the dead? Can't say I'm surprised, the whole family have a habit of not staying dead."

"There was one other thing, Sir. Something happened in the cage."

"What?" whenever something involved Lucifer's cage it was never good, for any party involved.

"Uh, they said it sounded like a frightened animal. All of hell heard—like someone was going crazy. The rumor is that Michael or Lucifer—one of them is trying to warn us."

"About the Darkness. Ridiculous."

"Except…half of hell is sort of freaking out, Sir." Crowley looked deep in thought as the underling carried on his report, "What do we do?"

* * *

"After Metatron escaped, we moved the door to heaven."

"Yeah, Smart." The other angel's had Cuffed him, it was better to be safe than sorry, all things considered.

"You know, to prevent further incidents."

"Of course. I would have done the same thing. Before we go back, we need to find a witch or someone who knows spell craft to remove the…Ugh." The angel hooked Castiel's cuffs to a hook, dangling from the ceiling.

"I don't understand." The other angel advanced with a black cloth and he finally figured out what was going on,

"You're not taking me to heaven."

"No, we're not." The angel slipped the bag over Cas' head and it all went dark.

* * *

Dean waited for Jenna outside the Gas station, Sam had called and told him things were going just fine and now he sat, Graces head propped in his lap, staring down at her peaceful expression

"Hey, Gracie. I know—I know you're sleeping, but things are tough right now and I could really use a friendly ear." She made no movement, of course.

"I'm Scared. Sammy's back at the hospital, Cas is AWOL, Rowen has the Book of the Damned and the means to translate it…and me…" he sniffed, running his fingers through his sister's hair.

"Dean…" it wasn't anything big but to him it meant the world hearing her voice, looking down there had been no change, she was still asleep, still comatose, but she had registered that he was taking to her.

"Shh, I'm right here, Gracie. I'm not going anywhere." There was a sad smiled plastered on the eldest Winchesters face now as he cradled her.


	3. Form and Void

_*Cedar Rapids, Iowa.*_

"Well, it's a nice neighborhood."

"Yeah, I pretty much grew up here." They Left Grace in the backseat, as per usual, and headed up towards the house, not like she was going anywhere, or so Dean thought.

"Learned to ride my bike down the road. Had my first kiss at that blue house over there. Lost my virginity up there."

"I'll bet blue house was pissed." Jenna nodded, as they continued to walk.

"She was. Do you mind?" she handed Amara over to him for a bit. "Yeah."

"Hey, Beautiful." He rocked the infant as Jenna rearranged her bags on her shoulder, "Anyways, that's why I asked you to bring us here. After everything that happened it just feels safe."

"Well, good. Safe is good. Shh, shh, shh, shh!"

"You're so great with her."

"Well, what can I say? Chicks dig me. Well, look, I should…" he handed the baby back to Jenna, "Oh, right. Sure."

"You're gonna be okay, both of you."

"I know. What about you, Sam and…Grace?" his eyes ell back to the car "Are you three gonna be okay?"

"Well, for us the bar's pretty low. See you." He headed back to the Impala.

"Dean. Thank you…for everything." He turned back for a moment as she pulled him into a hug

"Jenna." She let him go and turned towards the house.

"Hi, Grandma." As dean got back in the Impala he once again turned to look at his sister,

"Looks like it's you and me, Kid."

* * *

Cas' cell rang out in the empty room, echoing off the walls. "Dean…"

"Winchester?"

"Probably." The angels went back and forth before one of them smashed the phone. "Do the honors." One of the men ripped the bag of Castiel's head and smacked him to wake him up.

"Morning, Handsome." As he came to he looked down at the floor, the poor guy looked like Death warmed over.

"Efram. Jonah. What's—what's happening?"

"We have questions for you, Castiel." Cas looked up to see his arms hooked to a chain.

"Why am I…I asked for help."

"And I asked for a vessel that didn't have psoriasis. Crap happens."

"No."

"No what?" he looked like he was suffering, trying to keep himself in control as he started to growl like an animal.

"No. You don't understand. I'm cursed. You should run." His growls turned into Snarls as Efram and Jonah watched him struggle against the restraints.

* * *

"Ghostbusters. Jenna, hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. What's wrong?" Dean skid to a halt in the middle of the highway and whipped a U-ie, speeding back towards Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

" _I mean it sounds like something out of the exorcist."_

"That's what I said."

" _So, you're thinking demon?"_

"Or kid got infected by something. You know, who knows what was in that giant, crazy fart?" Dean could hear his little brother chuckle on the other end.

" _Wow. Vivid. Thanks."_

"Look, man, I know you're flying solo."

" _No, I'm—I'm fine, Dean. Look, don't—don't worry about me. Just…just help Jenna. How's Grace doing?"_ Dean looked at the girl in question through the rear-view mirror,

"Still out of it, but she did talk to me yesterday."

" _She talked to you?"_

"Yea, Man. I hit low, and all she said was my name, but it was something."

" _That's something, Dean. Watch over her for me too, all right? And hey, if you need anything, call me."_

"Will do. How you doing? How's "Zombieland"?"

" _It's good. It's great."_

* * *

Jonah had his blade pushed through Castiel, as Efram drilled him with questions.

"Where's Metatron?" blood soaked the angels once clean white dress shirt as he struggled to answer, "I don't know."

Jonah sliced down his face now, letting his Grace shine through as it sealed the wound again, Castiel let out a pained scream.

"Where's Metatron, Castiel?"

"Mercy, brother, Please!"

"Brother, ha!" Efram was cruel and calculating in his response, his eyes held no sympathy for Castiel.

"What are you?"

"W-What? I'm an Angel of the lord."

"That so?" Efram circled around Castiel " 'Cause, near as I can tell, when you have to choose between heaven and the Winchesters…"

"You choose them."

"Every time. And you even fell in love with one of them, didn't you?" Castiel stared Efram down, "The little one. Angel's are forbidden from loving Human's, Castiel."

"She's not a human." Efram and Jonah shared a look, "What do you mean, she's not a human?"

"Can human's do half the thing's she's done? Think about it, Efram. Besides, Grace is dead."

"Regardless of that fact, you fell for the Winchester's. So, see, you're not my brother. And if I had it my way, I'd take this blade, stick it in your heart…" he carved along Castiel's chest, "and call that a damn good day." Castiel groaned in pain as he stared Efram down again.

"Then do it." Efram stared him down in response before tucking the blade away again.

"Nah. The fun's just getting started." Jonah advanced again, Angel blade drawn.

"No."

* * *

As Dean sped down the road he kept checking the mirror to make sure Grace was still in the back seat, however this tie she was not.

"Grace…" he skid the Impala to a halt on the shoulder and turned, seeing if maybe she'd rolled down onto the floor, but no such luck.

"Grace!" she was just gone, "Son of a bitch." He looked up at the roof of the car and smashed his fist into the steering wheel.

"Is this a joke!? Because it's not funny!" he was screaming at no one in particular, he had no idea where she possibly could have gone, they were doing 90 down the road so there was no way she just got out and walked away.

"Dammit." He slammed the steering wheel again as he put the car into gear and sped off back towards Jenna's Grandmothers place. If only he knew what his sister was capable of now.

* * *

"Again, Metatron, where is he?"

"I don't know."

"But, you broke him out of heaven?"

"Yes."

"And took his Grace."

"Yes." There was desperation in the Angel's voice, "And you expect us to believe he, what, just gave you the slip—no powers, no wings?"

"Metatron tricked me."

"So you're just stupid?"

"Or he's lying." Efram looked to Jonah, "Or that."

"One way to find out." Efram looked pleased with what came next, as he stepped towards Castiel again.

"What should we cut off first? Eeny?" He pointed to one of castiels wrist's, then the other, "meeny?" moved the blade down towards his nose, "Miny?" then lastly he moved the blade down to Cas' dick, "or—what was that?" A sudden thud was heard behind them as the door began to rattle as well, imploding in on itself, the three angel's turned towards the door, ignoring whatever else had popped into the room.

"That's enough." Realization spread over Castiel's face, "Hannah."

"What are you doing?"

"Getting answers." To say that Hannah looked pissed off was an understatement.

"No. this isn't how we do things." Cas turned as Hannah laid into Efram and Jonah and his eyes squinted, trying to see who the other body was, laying a few feet away, but he couldn't make it out.

"Get out." Efram and Jonah made no attempt to move, this pissed Hannah off. "Out!" finally, both angel's left the room.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. Something happened, Castiel—something horrible" Hannah unhooked his arms and removed the cuffs, finally he could move to see who, or what had fallen into the room just before Hannah's arrival.

Hannah tried to remove the cuffs, but he stopped her..er, him, "No. this is safer." Hannah pulled up a chair for the tired angel, who immediately fell into it, exhausted and weak rom the torture he'd endured at the hands of his brothers. There was no way he could see what he wanted to in his condition.

"I wasn't lying about Metatron."

"I know. But right now, I'm more worried about you."

"Can you heal me?" Hannah touched his fingers to Castiel's forehead but nothing happened, "I can't…I'm sorry. This—it's…powerful magic." He rolled his head to the side,

"The can you tell me ho that is over there?" he nodded towards the body he could just make out.

"Of course." Hannah stood and walked towards the unmoving figure, shocked when he saw who it was.

"Castiel…" the angel drew his head up once more, "Why do you sound shocked? Who is it?"

"Castiel, It's Grace." The angel's expression shifted to uncertainty, his eyes were narrowed in the darkness of the room.

"That's not possible. We buried her." Hannah drug the body further into the already dim light so Castiel could see her better.

"Grace…" there was so much pain in his eyes now as he looked down at her another memory flashing in his mind, of sharp, crystal blue eyes with flecks of gold in them.

 **" _Castiel…why do you always look so sad?"_ _he little girl kicked her feet back and forth and he couldn't help but wonder the same thing at her question._**

 **" _I suppose it is because I preside over the deaths of kings, Mine is a sad existence, little one." The little girls smile dropped_**

 **" _But why? They'll be back on earth someday, right? As someone new?" Castiel's expression shifted again as he looked down at her, "Yes—Yes I suppose that is true."_**

 **" _So you should smile, you get to watch them come back, again and again, living new lives." A smiled tugged on the angel's lips._**

 **" _You are quite wise, Avarin." She shrugged her little shoulders, staring down at bare feet. "I still got lots to learn…Hey, can I help you with the moon tonight?" he turned his attention back to humanity,_**

 **" _Whatever you want."_**

Castiel's expression softened now as he looked down at Grace's sleeping form.

"Castiel?" Hannah looked at him quizzically, seeing the fond expression on the angel's face, "I remember that day so well, now. How did I forget about it?"

"What did you remember, Castiel."

"He was right." Hannah looked perplexed as Castel's face shifted to pain once again, "Hannah, I can feel the spell just cutting deeper and deeper and I'm trying to fight it. I'm trying, but…"

"Does it have anything to do with the disturbance in Superior, Nebraska?"

"You know about that?" His eyes finally left Graces sleeping body to travel back to Hannah as he straightened up in the chair.

"Alarms have been sounding in heaven, Castiel—Alarms that haven't gone off in…ever. We don't even know what they mean."

"Those alarms are for the Darkness."

"The Darkness is a story."

"No, it's not. It's real. The Darkness…It's been locked away since the dawn of creation." Somewhere in the back of the angel's mind things were clicking into place, if he was suddenly recalling things he'd forgotten, then maybe Grace was an important part to this story, just as Metatron had insisted.

"And now it's free."

"God help us." Castiel sighed.

"I wouldn't count on that…" His eyes traveled to Grace again, right now, she was who they needed to count on. "We need her, but she is of no use to us comatose."

"Where is it?" Hannah was determined as he turned and looked at his ally, "I don't know."

"Then who would? The Winchesters? Castiel, if this is true, it's the end for all of us." Castiel looked up to Hannah wo towered over him.

"Does she know?"

"I don't know."

"Well, Wake her up!" Hannah's look shifted to desperation, neither angel wanted this to be the end, but things looked bleak.

"I can't!" then something hit him, "How did you find me?"

"I saved you." Hannah knelt down again, staring Castiel in the eyes.

"No. I don't think you did. I think you told Efram and Jonah to bring me here, and to hurt me, and so you arranged to—to…burst in and save me. You were hoping I would be so grateful that I would do anything you said, that I would tell you anything you wanted to know." He looked so disappointed and Hurt as he looked at Hannah,

"Why, Hannah? We were friends." Had grace been a pawn in this game too, had Hannah planned to use her to get him to talk?

"That was before you freed Metatron…before…the other angels, they hate you."

"And what about you? Do you hate me? Is that why you brought her here? Why you put her in danger?"

"It doesn't matter." Efram and Jonah returned, "We took a vote—democracy in action—and…Hannah's doing the job. Grace Winchester was just an added bonus."

"You don't know who she is, do you?" Castiel's voice was hard, someone he'd thought a friend, had betrayed him, the woman he loved was in fact alive, and now they were using her as a bargaining chip to make him cooperate.

"I won't give you Sam and Dean." Efram grabbed Grace by the hair and lifted her up, body hanging limp, like a marionette.

"Sure you will." Jonah pulled something from behind his back, it was one of Crowley's hacking devices,

"We're gonna pick her brain." This was truly a bad decision on their behalf, no one knew what would happen if they stuck those pins in there.

Efram pulled another chair up, securing the blonde to it with some spare chains they had laying around.

"You don't know what'll happen if you do this." Efram shrugged, "Who cares, if it get's you to talk, it's a win." He secured the contraption to Graces skull.

"You don't understand."

"I understand plenty, Castiel." He looked to Jonah. "Do it." The angel pushed one of the metal rods into graces skull, but got no reaction.

"You said you knew how to do this."

"I watched Naomi…once." Another rod into her skull, Cas tugged on his restraints as graces fingers twitched, ever so slightly.

"Gimme." Efram stepped up to the plate, taking a rod from Jonah, "I hope this one hurts." He stuck another one into Graces cranium, Castiel looked pissed off as Hannah finally stepped in.

"Stop!" another small, almost unnoticeable twitch from the blonde Winchester. Efram socked Hannah as he stepped in, kicking the other angel around, "Get in my way again…you touch me again, and I…will…and you!" Castiel's rage surged and Graces body began to shake, almost like she was having a seizure.

"Uh, Efram…" the angel stopped what he was doing as Castiel broke free of his wooden prison and knocked Efram to the ground, and stabbed Jonah with his own angel blade, Hannah got back to his feet.

"Castiel." On top of the surge of light from Efram stabbing Hannah there was a sudden power surge,

"No!" Castiel pinned Efram to a bean with his cuffs, ignoring the power surge from Grace. As the two angels fought the power build up in the air got stronger, finally, Castiel killed Efram before letting the angels body drop to the floor, dropping the blade as his eyes fell to Grace and Hannah.

"No." he walked towards where the blonde was chained, looking at her with a sad expression, "You were never supposed to get involved." His voice broke as he looked at her face, touching her cheek softly.

"You were never meant to be hurt. It's my fault you're here." He puled the metal rods out, gingerly so as not to do any real damage. Removing the device from her head, he was bewildered as the holes sealed up almost instantly.

* * *

"All right, I still don't understand. I mean, I thought the darkness was a woman, not a child"

"Same here. I don't know. maybe whatever I saw wasn't real. Maybe it was a vision.

"Vision?

"yeah."

"Huh."

"Pretty weird."

"Yeah, weird with a weird cherry on a weird top. We gotta get a maid. But, you know, one with a-a little uniform and really big, uh—" sudden rustling from behind the mess drew their attention to what was behind the large pile of books, guns drawn they headed towards it.

There, on the floor, bloody and covered in dirt was Castiel and wit him, their missing sibling.

"Help me."

* * *

So. Chapter three of " _Shards of Stardust"_ is finished, this one was difficult to work grace into as she is comatose, but don't worry, she'll be making her big return to action soon, real soon. And you guys are in for some real surprises in upcoming chapters.

Please leave reviews, I enjoy hearing from you :) plus reviews keep me motivated!


	4. The Bad Seed

"So, that was the last of the neighbors, just like the rest." Dean sat at the table, staring off into space, his mind on the woman from the smoke cloud as well as his sister.

"Dean?" Sam leaned over towards his brother, "Dean?"

"Yeah."

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Sam knew he was lying, "Yeah, I'm fine." He wasn't fine, not in the slightest, Cas had turned up WITH his sister, bloodied and looking like he'd been through purgatory and back…again, he wasn't even in the realm of fine.

"Just saying we got nothing. No one saw anything unusual going on in the house the day the baby disappeared."

"If this is truly the darkness we're talking about, it's more of a time bomb than a baby." Cas was sat slumped in a chair, a blanket draped around him, kind of an odd sight as angels didn't really get cold.

"Yeah, but it is still a baby, right? I mean, the darkness I saw was an adult. So it still has to, uh, grow up." Cas looked at Dean with uncertainty.

"The darkness is almost infinite power. I'm not sure what "Growing up" means in this case."

"Well, god kicked this things ass once before, right?"

"Yeah, it'd be nice if he put down the Mai Tai and show up for work." Dean stood from the table and walked off.

"I wouldn't count on it."

"It's possible he's around. Closer than we think, you know?" If only they knew that wasn't technically wrong.

"What makes you say that?"

"I believe he made a fairly definitive statement when he walked away." The angel stood, forgetting they had shackled him to the chair.

"Sorry about those, Cas. Till we know what's going on with you, you're still a bit of wild card, you know?" Cas sat back down in the chair.

"I hate to point this out but you both know who we might need to help deal with the darkness."

"Don't even say it."

"He was god's scribe. He did hear about everything."

"That' just like saying it." The spell on Castiel had begun to act up as he growled animalistically from his chair.

"Cas, you all right, pal?

"It's the spell."

"We were hoping your angel wiring would fight it off or…slow it down at least."

"It appears I simply respond differently from humans."

"If you were human, you'd be gone. With you, it's like it's digging deeper."

"You know, Rowena's the only one who can remove it"

"We're doing everything to find her, okay? But so far, we've got nothing."

"Well, it's getting worse." As the brothers went back and forth with one another Cas hunched over in his seat.

"On top of that we have her to worry about." The topic sifted to the girl propped up in the corner.

"It's been a few days, Dean, and I know, it sucks, but she's not showing signs of waking up."

"She'll be fine, she's just recharging." Sam and dean looked at Castiel, "Recharging? Cas, she fell out of the sky at the same time that crazy smoke flooded Nebraska."

"I'm aware."

"Oh, you're…He's aware, Sam." Dean looked at his friend, Castiel looked unimpressed, "if you know so much, when is she going to wake up." To say that Dean was stressed out would be an understatement, he had a cursed angel and a comatose, possibly supercharged, sister to worry about now, considering the size f the crater she'd left in superior.

"Dean!" Cas looked back at the blonde, she seemed a much smaller now, more serene, "I wish I knew." He was worried as much as his friend was

* * *

She wandered through the white, clouded area, she could hear her brother's voices somewhere in the distance, but saw no one and nothing as she moved forward…or backwards, it was hard to say.

"Sam?" nothing "Dean?" still nothing,

"Cas?"

"Hey, sunshine." She turned towards a familiar sight, "Gabriel?"

"Give the girl a prize." She narrowed her eyes, "Why are you here?"

"I'm your guide, sweetheart. I'm here to lead you back to those oaf's" she frowned at his choice of words.

"Those "oaf's" are my family, Gabriel." The messenger angel just smiled "No they're not, Sweetheart…well, Cas, maybe all things considered."

"What are you talking about."

"I'm talking about your little chat with the big guy, I know you remember. Or perhaps…that fall scrambled your brain again."

"Quit avoiding the subject, Gabe." He smiled, "You're god's daughter, Sunshine. Grace Winchester never actually existed, she was a lie." Flashes of her chat with chuck came back and she gingerly touched her head.

"So then…"

All the memories you have with the douche patrol down there, they're real, but Grace Winchester is not. God put you on earth to keep you safe."

"Safe? Safe from who?"

"Your mother." She was confused, "My mother was human, why would he need to keep me safe from her?"

"Sweet cheeks, your mother was FAR from human."

"What are you talking about?" the angel just smirked, "Afraid I'm not supposed to tell you anymore than that."

"Gabriel!" the angel was gone, and she really wished he'd stuck around, just so she could punch him.

* * *

"Come on, Crowley, pick up. I've left you a dozen messages." Dean hung up the phone "Why isn't he answering the phone?"

"Because he's a dick, and that's not breaking news."

"He's gotta have Rowena in his sights, right? I mean, she did try to take him out."

"He's not going to deliver Rowena to us just so she can lift the spell. He'd rather let it do whatever it's gonna do to me."

"He's gotta be up to something."

"Yeah. Again, not breaking news. Metatron is also off the grid. He stole your car in Blaine, Missouri, right?" Sam turned his attention to Castiel.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, uh, no accident, incidents, violations, or anything remotely interesting involving a crappy '78 continental Mark V" The angel looked down at Sam's comment.

"You think its crappy?" neither brother knew how to respond without furthering the angel's already hurt feelings,

"Eye of the beholder" was Deans reply as Sam typed away on his laptop, trying to track down "Yeah." Dean took his seat again,

"Was a shut-in for centuries. Former scribe of god. You wouldn't think he would be a good driver."

"You know what? I'll look for unusual occurrences at places he might hang out." The angel was unusually quiet, appearing to mull over something,

"Cas?" he looked up as Sam called his name, "Places Metatron might hang out."

"Um? I mean, he loves waffles. You could try places that have those."

"Okay, so, every restaurant in the entire country?" the spell began acting up again, as flashes of Crowley surged through the angel's mind,

"Cas?" Castiel fell from his chair, seizing as the spell continued to work, "Cas? Cas, hey!" Sam scrambled from his chair

"Easy! Easy! Cas?!"

* * *

She still wandered the white abyss, still hearing her brothers…were they her brothers? Gabriel had said Grace Winchester technically never existed, that she was God's daughter,

"Who am I?" she was still Grace on the outside, but she wasn't ever Grace to begin with, the Disney move _'Alice in wonderland'_ popped into her mind

"I'm her, but I'm also me…none of this makes any sense." She groaned

"Its not supposed to make sense." Oh great, now she was talking to herself? No, literally, right in front of her, was herself.

* * *

"Cas? Hey, are you okay?"

"Relative to what?"

"You know where you are? What's the date?" Dean had a hand on his friends shoulder to keep him laying down.

"Earth. Several billion years from the beginning." The angel looked annoyed at the questions. "Come on, Buddy." Dean hoisted his friend back to his feet.

"It's like I was…inside a blender that was set to puree for a tomato salsa." Dean cracked a smirk at this, "And you're the tomato?"

"In this analogy, yes."

"Yeah." Sam pulled his arm back as Cas steadied himself, "Cas, what was that? You scared the crap out of us."

"I blacked out for a lot of it. But I…I don't know. It overwhelmed me. I-I couldn't control it."

"Let's get him up. Come on, Come on." They helped Cas back into his chair.

"There ya go." Dean patted his friends back "We gotta find that witch."

"Yeah."

"What can I do to help?"

"No, No, No, you just, uh, sit there and take a breather, try and put yourself back together." Cas looked exhausted as he slumped in the chair again, as Dean put the blanket back on him.

"Okay. I'll do my best. it's…" he groaned, bringing his hands to his head, "It's difficult with these voices." Sam and Dean looked put off,

"Now there are voices?"

"Are these voices telling you to hurt someone?"

"No. Guys, I'm—I'm hearing angel radio. It's a lot of chatter. They're…they've been looking for me ever since I escaped, as well as scouring the earth for the perp. Sam and Dean stared at him, surprised he'd even used slang.

"It's slang for "Perpetrator.""

"Ah"

"Yeah, thank you." They knew what he'd meant "Um, A-Any…"Perp" in particular?"

"Metatron. They're doubling the effort to find him, so…if we need to get hold of him, we better do it soon."

"Yeah, before the god squad does. All right, well, first thing's first."

Sam went back to typing on his laptop, "Listen to this. May be something here. Uh, in Denver, three women were at this Café Elta, when their waiter, for no apparent reason, stabbed and killed one. One survived and the other vanished after furniture seemed to slide around by itself. What do you think?"

"Hi, who's your led on the Café Elta investigation?" Dean was already on the phone

* * *

"Gabriel's right, you know." Grace stared at her mirror, "About what?"

"About dad, keeping us safe."

"Keeping us safe means taking away our memories, and fabricating an entire existence? This is going to kill them…" she thought about Sam and Dean first, it had always been that way.

"They'll get over it, but you need to wake up so you can help them. Think about Castiel." Her mind had wandered to the angel a few times since she'd woken up here.

"Castiel? What's wrong with him?" her copy laughed, "You're all powerful now, why don't you find out?" Grace rolled her eyes at herself, "Well, you're helpful." Her clone snapped her fingers and a screen popped out of thins air.

"O…kay?" on the screen was Sam, Dean and Cas, and in the very corner, her body.

* * *

"Agent's, here ya go."

"We got it. Yep." Sam and Dean stepped into the interrogation room, Closing the door behind them they took a seat across from the woman.

"Hello."

"So, Lady lunch goes south when a waiter, who reeks of sulfur , attacks with a blade, killing one of you, while the red head who invited you, yells something in Latin, disappears, and the furniture forms a pile. that about right? "

"Uh-huh."

"Any idea why a demon would wanna attack three witches?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." The red head tried to play coy, but neither brother was buying it, Grace had pulled this act a lot when they were younger to get out of things.

"right. The waiter was possessed by a demon assassin who was gunning for Rowena, since she tried to kill her son Crowley, who just happens to be the king of hell."

"Why do I think you're not F.B.I like the police said?" the woman huffed, she must have figured out she'd been caught.

"Let's cut to it.. the cops say you're so scared, you don't wanna leave here." She gave a slight nod, indicating that was in fact, the truth.

"Well, you should be, 'cause Crowley's not only going after Rowena, he's going after every witch that she hangs with."

"I-I'm no witch."

"Sure, you are. And your pal, Rowena, she's recruiting a new coven, hmm?" there it was, she tried to make a run but Dean was quicker,

"You can't do this. I have rights."

"And I have a fake badge." Some things clattered out of the woman's purse as Sam broke the tension, "Look at this. Chicken bones. Hex bags. A pentagram. Still sticking with, uh…not a witch?" he dropped the medallion back on the table and looked at the red head.

"Abite, ab oculis meis—" dean sat her back down, "Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah. Listen, before you finish what you're about to say, we are the only thing between you and Crowley's ninjas."

"But I didn't try to hurt him. I mean, I am nobody. I-I'm worse than nobody. I-I'm nobody's third cousin who doesn't even get invited to dinner."

"We don't care. We just need to know where Rowena is."

"I have no idea."

"But you do know how to scry, is that right?" she looked confused as she shook her head,

"Scry? What's that?"

"Exactly what you know it is. A locating spell. When you witches use crystals and then prisms and mirrors to divine images of who you're trying to find."

"We're trying to get our hands on Rowena. Okay, now with her out of the picture, Crowley has no reason to go after you. You got it?" she thought it over for a second before letting out a long winded sigh.

"I don't have my crystals."

"Oh. Well..." He reached for a small hand mirror that Sam had pulled from her purse. "This oughta work, huh?" he held open the foundation compact in front of her.

"I'll get the light."

* * *

She could see Rowena Now, thank her dad for this screen, the now blonde, witch was getting into a taxi headed for the airport.

"Reality is so much better than Cable." At least until she realized that the cabby was her brother. "Oh, Ouch…" her copy just smiled at her "You know, he gets tossed around a lot." She had no room to argue, it was true.

"Yeah…it's a miracle he's not any dumber… granted, Sam was always the smartest of us…but if you tell him I said that I'll erase you from existence." She'd been here entirely too long, she was threatening herself. She really needed to wake up, but she had no idea how.

* * *

Dean groaned as he righted himself, Rowena advanced, "Just my way of giving you the finger Mr. Winchester. I don't suppose you're here to thank me for removing the mark of Cain, which, by the way, you're welcome. Let's just take things up a notch. What do you say?" she upped her spell as Sam slapped the shackled back on her.

"I think you'd know by now, Samuel, these things don't hold me long."

"I just need to hold you long enough."

"Well, they do say blondes have more fun."

* * *

"To pull up information on a car, select search box, type in violations, and enter license plate number, make…" as Cas tried to type in the info the computer fritzed and brought him to some Asian porn website called Fortune nookie.

" _Fortune Nookie. Your premier website for all your Asian girl fantasies"_ The angel looked perplexed, wondering how the hell he had gotten this when all he wanted was to find his car.

" _We have hundreds of lovely girls just waiting to chat with you 24 hours a day."_ Castiel closed the Laptop in frustration, the only girl he wanted to talk to, among other things, 24 hours a day, was Grace but all things considered, that wasn't possible right now.

"What could "Fortune Nookie" be?" his head raced again as Rowena's spell echoed in his skull.

" _Castiel…"_ The angel let out a guttural growl as he stood, trying to get it to stop.

" _Don't"_ All he could see was Crowley's face as images flashed by, his eyes finally landed on Grace, his expression softened, but only a little.

"I miss you…I wish you were here. I mean, I guess you are here, but you're not…" one could see the heartbroken look in the angel's eyes as he watched his Mate sleep in the corner, he wondered if she was uncomfortable, his shackles made It impossible for him to get closer to her, which was probably for the best.

* * *

They secured Rowena in the dungeon, "Mind the undergarments, Samuel. Imported, of course."

"Where is it?"

"Where is what, dear?" Her playing coy was pissing off both brothers,

"The book! The book of the damned. The codex is in there, but the book is not. So where the hell is it?"

"Do you take me for a fool? Like I'd run around with those two spectacularly powerful items anywhere in proximity."

"Well now we've got the codex and Charlie's code-breaking, so the book isn't as useful to you as it was."

"Or so you hope." The red-haired witch smiled from her new prison.

"That's what I admire in you, Samuel. That plucky optimism. That plucky, stupid, optimism." She laughed as Dean excused his brother from the room.

"Sam, why don't you go grab Cas so Florence nightingale here can do her stuff."

"Hmm." Sam wasted no time in taking that command as he left the room.

* * *

"Dean?"

"Yeah?" Sam looked worried as he came back into the dungeon, "Hey, I can't find, Cas."

"What?"

"He's not there. He—He—broke free. He's gone. But that's not our only problem…"

"Grace?" Sam nodded. "Grace." Rowena looked confused as Dean slammed his fist onto the table.

"Dammit! For a comatose body, she gets around a lot…"

"I didn't know you boys had a sister."

"It's not your business." She looked taken-a-back, "Touchy subject?" the boys Ignored the witch and went off to look for their friend and now missing, still comatose, sibling.

* * *

"So absurd, driving in circles looking for your unhinged angel and bran dead little sister."

"Hey, she's not brain dead, all right? And we're not driving in circles. We're locked onto his phones G.P.S" Dean took personal offense to the red heads comment about their sibling. "We're tracking his location."

"I have no idea what you just said, but I'm sure I could do it faster." Neither brother was giving into her trick.

"Yeah, maybe you could, but you would have to do a spell, which means we would have to take the cuffs off, and we are not going to take the cuffs off."

"There's no trust? Are we not a team?" Sam and dean didn't even hesitate, answer in synch.

"No." as they continued to drive Rowena sighed, "You wouldn't think a road trip with two such strapping lads could be this tedious. Shall we have a wee sing song."

"No!" another simultaneous response from the boys,

"I have myself to blame. Should never make deals with the Winchesters, since they seem unable to hold up their end of the bargain."

"Meaning what?" Dean was clearly growing annoyed of the woman's constant chatter.

"Oh, just that thing between Sam, Crowley and myself."

"What? What' she talking about?" Sam looked guilty, and pissed off at the same time.

"Oh, surely, you knew Sam made a deal with me to kill my son if I removed the mark of Cain from your arm. Well, is the mark gone? Yes. Is Crowley dead? No. Mm. oh, he didn't know? He didn't know!"

"Look, I was gonna tell you. Obviously, nothing ever came of it, so I-I figured there was no point, you know?"

"No point, huh?" Sam knew he was in trouble, but they had bigger things to deal with right now.

"I-I mean, I see what Dean's saying. Our wee pal Castiel wouldn't be in this pickle if you'd done wat you promised. I would've had no reason to cast the attack dog spell if Crowley were already dead. Excellent point."

"It's not my point. Sam knows my point. Keywords—secrets."

"Ah, well, I'm just glad I got the conversation going. So, tell me about this sister of yours." Dean flashed Rowena a look in the rear-view mirror,

"Grace is none of your business."

"Grace, What a lovely name. you know, I always wanted a daughter, but instead I got stuck with…"

"Hey, you stay away from our sister. And let me make this clear, I'm not asking." Rowena slumped in the back seat.

* * *

Cas left Graces body in the darkened Alleyway as he began to stalk the woman who had just passed by, hiding again as she turned back, he had been on earth long enough to know that he needed to do so, but the moment the woman turned her attention away he was right there behind her. The brunette screamed as he swiped her phone from her hands and took off running.

Meanwhile, back in the alley way, Graces eyes twitched.

* * *

The doors to the Impala closed as the boys pulled Rowena from the back seat,

"Come on." The got out with little difficulty, "All right, he's gotta be around here somewhere. If we find race, we'll find him. I'll head up the street, you guys head the other way."

"Are you joking? I'm in heels." Dean actually looked at her feet but decided he didn't care, the red head had turned their friend into a rabid angel attack dog, and he was now on the loose.

* * *

The woman kept running as Castiel pursued her, as the woman ducked into an abandoned building Cas stopped outside, sniffing the area to try and find her. Catching her scent Castiel started banging on the door, trying to get inside.

Once the angel finally got into the building he searched for her, growling. In a Rage he started trashing the place, throwing boxes of who knows what to the floor.

* * *

The sound of Crashing boxes drew dean to the abandoned factory, he hadn't realized he'd walked right past his sister's sleeping body, Castiel had tucked her behind one of the dumpsters before pursuing the brunette.

The sound of boxes and metal clanging brought him to a propped open door, figuring it was worth a shot he went inside. It wasn't until he heard a sudden scream that he hauled ass in that direction.

"Cas! Cas!" Dean had found the angel choking the life out of some poor, unsuspecting woman. "Don't do this. Okay, this isn't you. It's the spell. You can beat this." Cas showed no signs of letting up.

"Cas…think of Grace." He angel showed signs of hesitance now, Dean had no idea the angel was in fact picturing his little sister " Cas…Let her go." Once his hands had loosened the woman took off.

"Go, Go, Go, Go. Hey, okay, Okay." Dean closed in on his friend, low growls still flowed from the Angel as he stared at his hands.  
"Its gonna be okay, buddy, All right?" Dean thought he'd had Cas calmed down, that was until the Angel tossed him into a storage shelf, just letting the eldest Winchester have it.

" _Desiste."_ The angel finally stopped dealing blows and stared at his hands, Sam had Rowena at gun point as she uttered the spell. Everyone turned to stare at the two.

"Do I need to remind you these are Witch-killing bullets? Finish it." Sam wasn't asking, that much was clear.

"Yes, Yes, all right. _Adlevo onus tuum._ " Castiel fell, seizing up again, Dean watched his friend with Worry.

"Cas?" He looked as if he were choking, "Cas?" finally the tremors stopped "Cas, Hey." Everyone had failed to notice the whoosh of wind that had gone through the room, blue eyes stared out of the darkness.

"Hey, Hey, Hey." Dean kept his voice soft as Cas finally opened his eyes, all evidence of the spell gone.

"Come on, Come on. Yeah." As the boys sat up, they could hear, just barely, soft foot steps.

"Hey."

"You know…I always knew you two shared a more profound bond…and I'm his mate." All eyes turned to the figure emerging from the shadows.

Dean almost couldn't believe his eyes, and Sam looked Terrified that this might have been another one of Rowena's spells, the aforementioned witch took this opportunity to escape, blasting the boys out of her way before running off. The figure just stared after her as she left the building.

"Who's there?" she finally stepped into the light and everyone froze.

"Grace?" the blonde smiled, looking at her brothers, before letting her eyes fall on Castiel.

"Surprise."

* * *

So. Chapter 4 is done, and I REALLY hope you enjoyed this, I enjoyed the dramatic come back of Grace/ Avarin, and I will not apologize for making you all wait either for I am sadistic and enjoy other people's pain MUWAHAHAHA.


	5. Thin Lizzie

"Yo."

"Don't suppose you got a 20 on the Darkness."

"Uh, Well, I thought I had something earlier. Half a town flipped their gourds and started attacking people, but it turns out they'd eaten rabid possum meat."

"Okay, they do realize that possum is a giant rat, right?"

"It's actually a marsupial." Grace suddenly popped back into the bunker from wherever she had been, much to Deans dismay.

"Okay, you, you need to stop doing that." She took one of the chairs and propped her feet up on the table, "Hey, hey, hey. Were you raised in a barn?"

"No, but I was raised with you two. And I think that might qualify in the same category." Dean made one of his _'Very funny, smart ass'_ faces as Sam carried on with his report.

"Check this out, um, a couple was ax-murdered in fall river, Massachusetts, at—wait for it—the Lizzie Borden bed and breakfast museum."

"A B&B and a museum."

"Yeah."

"that doesn't sound like a tourist trap at all." Dean popped open his Beer and started to pace,

"I mean, the thing is, the inn was Lizzie Borden's actual house."

"In 1892, she hacked up her dad and step mom there. Or—or allegedly hacked them up. She was eventually acquitted, ended up spending the rest of her days in Fall River hounded and persecuted by the townspeople." Dean and Sam looked at Grace with odd expressions.

"What? I can't know things?"

"It's weird you know that thing." Grace quirked a brow up. "Well, considering I've actually been alive since before time was a concept…are you really surprised?" Sam and Dean shared a look,

"What?"

"Oh, um, nothing…it's just weird." Dean chugged his beer before going to grab another one from the fridge, Sam just sat and stared awkwardly.

"Why is it weird?"

"Oh, you know, the whole _'My sister is really a cosmic entity all her own'_ thing, is a bit hard to digest."

"Oh, but Dying and coming back countless times is easy to accept?"

"Touché." Grace looked thoughtful for a moment, "What's up?"

"If I hadn't been…you know, me. Do you think you and Dean would have eventually hunted me down?" Sam closed his laptop, staring at her for a few seconds before finally answering.

"I mean, it's possible we could have. But honestly? Probably not. Having grown up with you, I don't think you have it in you to hurt someone who didn't at least deserve it." She smiled, her blue eyes seeming to glitter in the dim light.

"Thanks Sammy."

* * *

"Borden B&B. how may I help you?" the concierge could be heard in the background trying to calm down some prospective costumer to the charming establishment, but it didn't sound like it was going well.

"So, I guess Lizzie Borden has her own doll." Grace looked at the creepy figurine,

"It's a shame they got so many things wrong." Sam and Dean gave the blonde another strange look but kept inspecting certain items.

"Yeah, went a little overboard on the crazy eyes." Once the desk clerk hung up the phone They finally approached the desk.

"People still freaked out about the murders, huh?"

"Some find it exciting. Can I help you three?" Grace could tell Sam was like a kid in a candy store right now, but bit back her laughter,

"Yeah. We read about the tragedy, and I'm a bit of a history buff. And I just wanted to ask, do you think the killings had anything to do with Lizzie Borden—I mean, her ghost, or whatever?"

"Probably just some crazed fan broke in, right?"

"These are great questions, guys—ones we usually answer for our paying guests." Grace rolled her eyes as Sam scoffed,

"Right…" Sam was about to hand the man a twenty when some woman walked into the room.

"Mason! You forgot to cancel the bakery order!"

"Mom, I'm with customers."

"$200 worth of Danish and no guests to eat it!"

"These three can put away a few." Deans eyes fell on Grace, somewhere in his mind he wondered f she was like Cas now and just didn't eat.

"It's coming out of your paycheck." She finally left, the man looked devastated. "Of course it is."

"Working with family can be tough. OW!" Sam stepped a bit to the side as Grace smacked Dean upside the head.

"Bitch."

"Jerk." It felt like a Paradox as Sam and the desk clerk watched the two.

"20 years. And you have your pick of rooms." Sam wasted no time now, "Well take the one the couple was in." Grace smirked under her hand, Sam and Dean just gave her another sideways glance,

"The deceased couple?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Mm-hmm. We came a long way to see some ghosts. We figured there's the most unrest there."

"Uh, we're not renting that room right now…out of respect." Dean slapped forty bucks down on the counter and the guys eyes lit up, it was the same everywhere, money talks…

"But you gotta get back on that horse sometime. Lucky. We redid the room." The concierge handed Sam the key.

"Great. And now that we are paying guests, did you hear or see anything unusual that night?"

"Not till we heard the screams. I told mom to stay downstairs, and I ran up there. Oh, god. Blood.

"And who was the couple?"

"Local kids. I mean, nothing special abut the girl, but the guy—he was a descendant of the original bordens" another shared look between the brothers as grace grabbed the key from Sam,

"I'll go put the bags away."

"Thanks, Grace."

"Sure thing, Dean-o"

* * *

"I think I'm gonna throw up." Grace looked around the room, "Huh…just like she left it."

"What?" Grace frowned, there were a lot of jokes these two just weren't going to understand now.

"Kidding…sorry." She set her bag down in the corner. "You two can have the beds."

"What about you?"

"I'm thinking I won't sleep much." Dean flashed her a sympathetic look, there were so many things different with her now, and frankly it hurt him.

"We're surrounded by Doilies. They're everywhere."

"Okay, you think the inn keeper might have mentioned this before he ripped us off?"

"At least you know he ripped you off." Sam gave his sister a look and she just shrugged, falling into the antique arm chair at the desk.

"Ugh, I guess you're gonna have to get yourself another room. Because, as grace stated, this was Lizzies original room, and I'm not giving it up."

"What are you, 4?" Sam pulled out the EMF, "Look at that. That jibes with what people online have been saying about the upstairs—crying in empty rooms, footsteps, buzzing lights."

"You two are children." Both brothers looked at her, wondering if that was meant to be a pun…

"Says the only deity in the room." She looked offended now, "Hey, I'm not a deity, I do not have a religion."

"Well, yeah, because no one knew you ever existed…" Dean trailed off realizing what he'd just said.

"Oh, I—I didn't mean that." Grace stared at him in utter shock, the blonde stood after a second and left the room without another word to the boys.

"Good job, Dean."

* * *

Grace popped out of the inn back to the bunker, traveling this way was a lot easier than traveling by car, that much she appreciated.

"Grace?" She turned to see Castiel, "Hey, Cas."

"I thought you Sam and Dean were on a case." She scuffed her boot on the floor at the mention of her brothers.

"I'd rather not talk about my brothers…well, I guess technically they're not my real brothers. God…everything is so confusing!" she felt something against her cheek and leaned into his calloused hands, her eyes met his disconcertingly gentle gaze, and they both shared a smile.

"What happened?" he kept his gaze strong as her eyes drifted to the floor.

"Dean said something, back at the B&B…" Castiel noticed the overwhelming look of misery in his mate's eyes,

"What did he say?" still she refused to look at him, she finally brought her eyes back to his face and his expression shifted.

"Why did no one remember me but Metatron?" the angel's breath hitched in his throat, Graces eyes were intense, empty, he was unsure how to answer.

"I'm not—I don't know." His answer was genuine, she could tell by the look reflecting back at her.

"Castiel…" he could see the tears brimming her waterline and a small part of him wanted to beat the shit out of the eldest of the Winchester siblings.

"Come here." The Angel placed a chaste kiss on the blonde's lips, pulling away after just a few seconds,

"What was that for?"

"I learned that from Netflix. Apparently, it's a way to ease tension between couples." She quirked a brow up, this must have been something Dean explained to him.

"Castiel?" the Angel in question looked down at her, he had always known there was someone meant for him, all Angel's had a predestined Mate, but to him, she was the most resplendent.

"Hmm?"

"Shut up." She closed the gap, kissing him a bit rougher than he had her.

* * *

"Thanks."

"Detective Madsen? Agent Collins." Dean watched his brother interact with the local precincts detective.

"You weren't feds earlier. And where's that blonde who came in with you?"

"Well, um, my partner and I were undercover investigating the original murders, Agent Holst got another assignment and had to leave."

"I never saw her leave. And where the hell were you when my mom was being…" the on sight detective looked curious.

"I'm so, very sorry, Mr. Kemper" the detective put his hand on Kemper's shoulder,

"We're gonna find the son of a bitch who's doing this." Dean finally stood, surveying the rest of the room, scanning for any real EMF now tat they generator had been shut off.

"He had just finished locking up. No one as inside but him and Mrs. Kemper. Staff went home hours ago."

"And no suspects for the first murders, either?"

"Hi, I'm agent Gabriel." Dean finally introduced himself to the detective, "Listen, I saw this guy hanging around earlier, uh, snapping some photos, and he ran away when I tried to make contact."

"Let me guess—short, chunky, baby-faced?"

"Yeah, that's him." The detective chuckled, "That's Len. Total teddy bear. I went to High School with him. Obsessed with ghosts, but harmless." His tone was reassuring as the brothers shared a look.

"Ghosts? Hmm. Is that a real issue around here?"

"According to the chamber of commerce, absolutely."

"Right."

"I'll send an officer over to Len, get a statement from him."

"You know what? You guys got your hands full. We'll, uh—drop by."

"Thanks."

"Mm-hmm. You betcha."

* * *

The two had found one of the many empty bedrooms in the Bunker.

"I missed you." His wings had flared out after he'd shed his coat, they were one of her favorite things about the angel, reaching out touch the obsidian feathers. The angel gently pushed her back into the awaiting mattress, trailing butterfly kisses down her neck, towards her collar bone.

"I missed you, too, Castiel." She touched his face, drawing his gaze to her face, "Before we get to far into this…" The Angel stopped, he knew that look.

"What is it?"

"What do you remember?" Castiel looked confused, "Remember? I'm not sure I—understand." There was the cute head tilt of his.

"About—about real me. About Avarin?" the angel looked deep into her exceedingly crystalline, blue eyes,

"I get flashes of memories, from time to time."

"Memories, so we did know each other?" the angel smiled,

"Yes. You loved to help with the moon." His mind wandered back to another memory.

* * *

" _Castiel!" the solemn angel watched with a barely visible smile as the small child bounced up to him, same time as usual._

" _There's my little moonbeam." She scrunched her nose up at the nickname, "That's silly."_

" _And you're not?" Avarin puffed her cheeks out, eliciting a chuckle from the seraphim._

" _Hey, Castiel. Do you ever want to interact with Humans?" She sat down by his feet. "I suspect I will someday. But for now, I am content to watch them."_

" _I think Humans are amazing, they are resilient and if they fall down they get right back up on their feet and try again. They help people often, without ever expecting anything in return." His eyes trailed to the little body sitting next to him._

" _Well, Little Moonbeam, it's almost time." She stared up at him, "Adar is pulling the sun down?"_

" _Yes, so we must pull the moon up."_

* * *

The memory ended and Castiel smiled

"Moonbeam."

"What?"

"I used to call you my little Moonbeam. You'd come every night to help me pull the moon up." The smile on his face was so kind, and gentle, grace matched him as something flashed in her mind.

"I think I remember, we pulled the Moon up while Adar pulled the Sun down?"

"Yes. You were so…inquisitive. You asked me a lot about Humanity, as it grew and changed, you loved them almost as much as god himself."

"Well, all things considered…" he chuckled, Grace smiled again in response, "I've kind of killed the moment, haven't I?" she looked apologetic,

"No, not at all." She smiled, caressing his wing again, he almost purred at the delicate feeling.

"So…"

"It's been a hard year, Grace…" she stared up at him, "Thinking you might be gone for good…" she felt his hand brush some hair from her face,

"When you suddenly landed in that room, I didn't know what to think. Then Efram and Jonah…Hannah even, they were going to use you to make me suffer."

"Do you think they knew, too?"

"It's…difficult to say. But I'd guess Hannah knew. anyways, enough about that."

"What happened in the year I was gone, Cas?" he rolled off her and laid on the mattress, folding his wings in.

* * *

"Four Ax murders in two days, no leads. The whole towns panicking like it's the purge."

"Yeah, not the whole town. Mrs. Pinski doesn't seem too broken up over the fact that her husband was butchered in the driveway." Sam and the detective left the crime scene, but the former wasn't buying the wife's behavior, something was off.

"You saw the body. She was in shock."

"Still."

"People have freaky-ass reactions to loss." Hearing his cell go off Sam stepped away for a second.

"Excuse me. Won't be long. Dean?"

" _I think we found Amara."_

"Wait, Amara was here? How?"

" _Oh, and the real crazy—apparently, she's like 12."_

"What? How is that even possible?"

" _It ain't Wheaties she's eating, I'll tell ya that much."_

"Meaning?"

" _Len—he ain't doing so hot. I think Amara sucked out his soul."_

* * *

"Dean went demon again?"

"Well, not exactly." She tilted her head, almost mimicking him, "We also met Crowley's mother, Rowena."

"Ah, the red head who trapped us in the warehouse?" he nodded.

"It took forever to get out of that damn place…though I guess I could have ported us out, but watching Dean have a fit was kind of funny." She grinned as the two lay side by side.

"Grace…"

"Hmm?"

"Is it all right if I keep calling you that?" it was an innocent enough question and she turned her head to look at him.

"Why wouldn't it be? It's how you know me here on Earth. The same goes for Sam and Dean." There was silence for a few minutes, "Look, just because I have these memories now, doesn't mean I'm a different person."

"I know." Castiel ran his thumb over the back of her hand and she felt the light brush of his feathers as he enveloped them both in a stolid, dark cocoon.

* * *

"So, Amara's just growing like a Radioactive weed?"

"Yeah, by stuffing her face with souls."

"Does that mean she's gaining more power, too? And for what?"

"I don't know. That tsunami's gonna hit us sooner or later. Right now we gotta deal with what we can deal with—all these spent shells Amara's leaving behind."

"You don't think Len's our Lizzie Borden, do you?"

"No, I-I talked to his neighbors, and except for me seeing him at the B&B, he's been here all night. So, we can't kill him 'cause he hasn't done anything yet."

"Dean, we don't…want to kill him. We want to save people, remember?" Dean snapped his fingers, he'd forgotten about their discussion the other day

"Right, your new rules." Sam flashed his brother a look of uncertainty, "Why hasn't he offed anybody? I mean, it took Jenna all of walking downstairs to slit her grandmother's throat."

"I don't know. Maybe not everybody who gets their soul sucked out turns into a killer."

"Or maybe he just hasn't gotten around to it yet. All right, well, I think the best thing is we just stick close until we figure out how to help him out, which starts by you telling him he's got no soul."

"Me?" The younger sibling was caught off guard by his older brother pushing story time off onto him.

"Yeah."

"Why do I have to do it?" he looked mildly offended at Dean's reply.

"Well, because you've been there. You speak the language. And Grace kind of…flew the coup…" Sam narrowed his eyes at his brothers attempt of a joke.

"Well, she might have stuck around if you hadn't been an asshole."

"What did I say?"

"Well, let's start with _'Because no one even knew you existed'_ Dean."

"Hey, I apologized for that. Besides, it's not like they wrote about her in the bible." Sam looked at his brother with intrigue, "You read the bible?"

"I skimmed, it only ever mentioned this Jesus guy and the big man himself. No mention of a lesser known child."

"And it didn't occur to you that maybe there's a reason?" realization finally dawned on the eldest of the siblings.

"Oh…"

"Yeah, Dean."

* * *

The impala was sat outside the recent victims house as Sam rang the door bell, but no one answered.

" _Hello?"_

"Sydney. this is agent Collins. We're trying to find Mrs. Pinski. Do you have any idea where she might be?"

" _Um, no. she, uh—she didn't mention anything. Dawn didn't want me to come over today."_

"Sydney, you are part of a federal murder investigation. You do not want to hold anything back from us."

" _Okay, there might be one place that she could be. Dawn has a friend—Nate—a special friend"_

"Okay, I'm reading your mail."

" _Look, I don't want to get dawn in trouble."_

"Do you have an address?"

* * *

Grace woke up, still cocooned inside Cas' wings, there was no way she was going anywhere until the angel let her go, but a smile spread across her face as she watched him.

"Good morning." His expression was easy as a smiled tugged in his lips. He drew her closer, if that was even possible, placing a quick, fleeting kiss on her lips.

"Morning." Another kiss. "Hey, Easy boy." This earned her a chuckle as he finally retracted his wings and sat up.

"I enjoyed catching up." Grace smirked, "Maybe next time we can make it a bit more...exciting." Castiel pulled her into his lap, "Let's not let there be a next time." He softly bit the skin on her neck, she tilted her head to give him better access, enjoying the rough stubble that dotted his jawline until an image flashed in her mind.

"Cas…"

"Hmm?"

"Sam and Dean…" he pulled away, hearing the urgent tone in his mate's voice. "You are amazing, Castiel. But I have to go." The angel nodded.

"I'll be right here when you get back."

"I know you will."

* * *

"She's close. She hasn't left me."

"Well, bring her on out. We've been hunting that bitch for weeks." Sydney jammed the butt of the shot gun into Dean's temple just as Sam got his hands free.

"She is a goddess!" Sam had a weapon in his hands just as a sudden whoosh echoed in the basement.

"Actually, that's just me." Grace socked Sydney in the jaw just as she shot off a round at Sam.

"No one touches my brothers." The soulless babysitter stood, aimed and ready, to fire another round into the woman who'd punched her.

"Go ahead. Shoot me." Just as she was about to fire the gun there was a sick crunch from behind Sydney, and as the woman fell forward standing there, with an ax in his hand, was Len.

"Holy crap, I just did that."

"Hey. Hey." Sam pulled himself back to his feet as Len held the Ax out in front of him like it was poison. Grace grabbed the axe away from the chubby man,

"Easy there, Dugan. Your soulless, not stupid."

"How did you—" Len didn't get to finish his sentence as all eyes drifted back to Sydney as she muttered something, crimson liquid flowing over the concrete floor, "The darkness is coming. It's so peaceful. It's coming for all of us."

* * *

"Hey, Kid." The little boy said nothing as Grace sat next to him. "Jordie, you have any, uh, family you can stay with?"

"When I was 14 years old, my dad died, my mom had passed way earlier that year from similar circumstances, I realize that's nowhere close to what you've lost, but…you will survive this. People are going to help you."

"There's my aunt Kathy. She comes at Christmas." Grace smiled as the little boy finally spoke.

"Hey, How did you just appear in the house?" Grace just winked at the Jordie, "Uh-Uh, a good magician never reveals her secrets." He grinned.

"There's a smile. Don't ever lose that, Jordie."

* * *

"So, I can't believe Len turned himself in. "

"I mean, it kind of makes sense, you know. People having different reactions to losing their souls. I did. Everyone's got their own history, right?"

"Len loses his heart. Sydney loses her head. What are we looking for the cowardly lion next?"

"You know, I get this, like, pit in my stomach anytime I think of her—the Darkness—like, we only know the tip of what she is, what she does to people."

"Sam…What she is—She's evil, but not in the sense we would think about here on earth."

"What do you mean?"

"She's Chaos, sure, but she's not—how do I explain this, created evil? She does these things because she doesn't understand, God locked her away before she could experience creation, so all she knows is destruction."

"Well, Len was freaked out by her, but Sydney—Sydney couldn't get enough."

"Different strokes for different Folks, Sammy."

"The…bliss she was talking about, you know?" Grace stared out at the lake, "That bliss isn't bliss, Sammy. It's just a momentary escape."

"What was it like for you, Dean? Did you feel like that with Amara?"

"No. No, I mean, it was quiet, you know, till, uh till se started hatching killers and rallying monsters to raise armies."

"So, that's how we have to find her, huh? Follow the bodies?"

"You got a better idea?" Grace watched her two brothers, her own mind lost in thought.

"I might. But you might not like it, Dean."

"Well, let's hear it, then I'll decide."

"We use the one thing she wouldn't dare harm."

"Yeah? And what's that?" Sam and Dean stared expectantly,

"Me."

* * *

So, this chapter probably sucks, I know, but I'm working on straying from the episodes a bit so it's not all cannon dialogue anymore, and I really hope I did a good job. And I hope you enjoyed it regardless.


	6. Our Little world (Alt Apeiron)

" _Well, we're gonna get to all the results, in just a second. We're gonna start with, uh…lts go back to our first story."_

"Cas, Phone. It's probably Dean." The angel looked over as she tossed him the cellular device,

"Hi."

" _Cas, how ya doin', buddy?"_ Jenny Jones kept playing in the background why Cas found this show entertaining, of all things, she had no idea.

"Oh, I'm fine." Grace frowned, why was he lying?

" _Find anything on Metatron."_

"Uh, nothing on Angel radio."

" _How long's it been since you left the bunker?"_

"Oh, why would I leave? I've got everything I need right here." Grace rattled off a couple in her mind, fresh air, sunlight, actual research…to name a few.

" _Wait, is that—are you watching Jenny Jones?"_

"That's what I said!" She could almost hear the smirk in her older brother's voice.

"It's a re-run. She's just about to announce the paternity results. Jenny, he is not ready to be a father." Grace snatched the phone from the angel.

"Dean, for the love of cas' father, . .HERE! all he's been doing is watching that idiot box, I think his…wait do angel's have brains? Well, regardless, I think his is fried."

" _Okay. I-I-I thought you were going with socially acceptable binge watching. Uh, you know, "The wire," or "Game of thrones."_

"Grace, give me back the phone."

"Not until you get out of that chair!" Dean, who listened to their bickering from the other end of the line turned to look at Sam and mouthed 'Trouble in paradise' to which Sam responded by chuckling.

"Grace Winchester, give me the phone!" Figuring his sister would take over the role of getting Cas out of the bunker he hung up.

* * *

"It's about damn time. I swear, if I never see another episode of "Jenny Jones" in my life again, it'll be too soon." Castiel rolled his eyes at her, "You know, I still owe you for stealing the phone from me." Grace just smirked,

"Ooh, is the mighty Castiel going to punish me?" the angel let out a low, almost predatory growl as he finished slipping his trench coat on, "Maybe I should, now that you're no longer human." There was a dark and twisted side to the angel Grace had never really seen, however somewhere in the back of her mind, she liked it.

"Maybe Later, Love. Right now, we need to help Sam and Dean." As they neared the door Castiel seemed hesitant, his hand trembled as e reached for the door knob.

"Cas?" The images of him Beating Dean senseless and Hannah's death flashed in his mind, "Cas?" He was scared, his body was shaking,

" _Castiel, look at me…Look right at me."_ The angel looked right past her, sounding like it was under water, when the images stopped he looked petrified, "Castiel…"he pushed past her, heading back to his room to watch the T.V again. The blonde watched with sad eyes.

* * *

"Castiel…we need to talk, about whatever is going on with you." The woman on the T.V faded into background noise, "Grace, I…" he stopped, seeing something on the screen.

"Grace, look. Is that?" He rewound the footage and Grace followed him to get a closer look.

"No fucking way…"

"Metatron." His voice was dangerously low now as he tried to mentally burn holes in the man on the screen.

"I need your help." The look in his eyes aid everything, He wanted revenge.

"Cas…"

* * *

"Oh, this is good. A night-leader if ever I saw one. And this is gonna fetch me $500, minimum" The outcast Angel leaned over the corpse, rifling through the guys pockets.

"I, uh—I know that $500 sounds like plenty, but with my overhead…Daddy's gotta eat." The guy coughed and sputtered as Metatron went to take the money from his wallet, "Oh, come on."

"Help, please." Metatron scoffed, he had never doe the right thing in his (long) life. "I'm sorry, buddy. Y-You live, there's no story" the man kept choking on his own blood and the angel still looked torn. "You know, there was a time I could have brought you back from the brink with a snap of my fingers not tat I would have."

He pocketed the man's money and dropped his wallet back on him, "But I'm not that guys anymore. I can't save you."

"We can." Metatron turned, surprised to not only see Castiel, but a blonde woman he had thought long dead.

"How did you find me? And you, how are you alive?" silvery blonde hair blew around in the slight breeze of the alley way, "I owe you no explanation's, Metatron. However, my father is very cross with you."

"Your father?" he looked mildly terrified at the news, Grace just frowned "Y-You know, that whole…there's a bigger player thing was just—"

"Oh no, you were right, and he's about to join the board, he's just waiting for the right moment. Regardless…" She looked to Castiel who stared on with narrow, cat like focus.

"We found you the same way you found him. Scoured the police scanners, got ahead of the authorities." Castiel knelt next to the man who was bleeding out and healed him, Grace shoved past Metatron who'd filmed the whole thing, almost knocking the camera to the ground.

"What was that?" Grace stayed near the man as he regained his bearings as Castiel turned, his expression frightening yet collected.

"Look, a real-life angel caught on tape? That is way better than some random homicide." Grace slowly helped the man to sit up as Castiel broke Metatron's camera. The man had it coming, he'd toyed with Castel long enough

"Hey! Do you have an idea how much stuff I had to steal and then pawn to pay for that?!"

"You'll be all right, I promise." She gave the man one last smile as sirens and flashing lights filled the area, Cas motioned for Grace to hide as he drug Metatron with them. Shoving him around.

"Okay, 'Marv'…You're picking pockets, leaving a man to die. I-I—I don't know what to expect. But this is disappointing." Grace pulled herself onto a near by table, staring at both Castiel and Metatron, "I have to say…I actually did expect this."

"You did?" Castiel and Metatron both looked confused, "Well, Yeah. I mean come on, dude's never been human or had to want for anything in his life, being an angel and all, Cas. At least you had my brothers to show you the ropes."

"One to talk. You chose the life of a wage slave, slinging slurpees, for, what, a month? Plus you got the girl who went out of her way to provide you a home." He gestured to the blonde sitting only a few feet away, her legs tucked under her, in similar fashion to how kindergartners sat for story time.

"I am in it to win it. I was at Zero when you took my grace, hiding from angels, not a cent to my name. but I found my calling, and I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and started a business."

"A very shady business." She sighed, watching the two men circle around like predators with prey, it was certainly a show, if nothing else.

"And, you know, my story has only just begun."

"What story is that?" Grace herself had a few suggestions, "If he answers with a T.V show called Desperate angels of America, I'd watch it…" Castiel looked unimpressed, the blonde shrugged, "What? it beats "Jenny jones" revealing that "So-and-So" is in fact the father."

"He's preying like a vulture on human tragedy"

"Oh." He chuckled "At least she has a sense of humor. Castiel. What century are you in? religion is dead. The novel? Deader. You two think I'm ashamed for dealing in fleeting visual sensation, in gift-length glimpses of horror, waste, and degradation?! No! I just caught up with the times. Reality is the great literature of our era, and I am out there, on the streets, every single night, capturing it! I am reality's author."

Grace quirked an eyebrow at his ran, but Castiel just looked tired and bored "Oh, save your story. It's not what I came for. Metatron looked mildly put off at this news.

"Oh. So…straight to business. You want the demon tablet?" The sound of rubber soles meeting concrete filled the momentary silence as Grace hopped down from her perch.

"Well, you're not gonna get it. I have hidden it very carefully in a place were you and your…friends—" he gave grace a once over before a disgusting smirk etched onto his features, as Castiel pulled something from his jacket pocket.

"You hid it under your mattress. The t.v station gave me your address, and I-I checked the place out. You realize you have bedbugs?"

"He's not wrong you know…the infestation's pretty bad, you should probably call a pest control specialist." Metatron turned to look at her, "Will It get rid of you two?"

Her lips pressed into a tight smile as she shrugged, "Afraid not, but it might do something about that nasty attitude of yours."

"Hold on a second, you two broke into my apartment?" the apparent shock had finally seemed to set in,

"And we have a winner, tell him what he's won, Cassie." The angel frowned at her making light of the situation, "Okay…tough crowd." Looks like it was strictly business this round as Castiel tucked the tablet away and advanced on the now fallen Metatron.

"What do you know about the darkness?"

"The band?" Castiel was in no joking mood as he cornered the older looking man. "Okay. Uh…sometimes during late-night writing sessions, when god was deep in his cups, he _may_ have let slip a few choice words. But…I don't have to tell you anything." All right, well Grace as finally starting to have enough of his games, it was time to play hard ball.

"My father brought you into creation, Metatron. And given some time, and a lot of effort, I'm sure I can take you right out of it."

"You don't have the juice." Castiel looked stunned, "Even Castiel knows who I am now, just as you claimed to before my mortal body died and I came back as, well, this."

"I'd listen to the woman, Metatron, she's come a long way from your last run in." Grace was ecstatic he'd chosen to play along.

"Are you forgetting, you are human now, and I could crush you like a bug. But that is nothing compared to what she might do to you."

"Could, but you won't." Grace just smiled, she looked like a kid in a candy store, "Try me, Meta-douche. Yu know, you're the butt off all the jokes in heaven right now."

"Did you two really think I wouldn't notice? You are Broken, Castiel. You were always a bit of a Nancy, but this? And you, Avarin I know full well you could erase any sign that I even existed from the books, but you're just not that kind of person, sweetheart. I don't know what it was that happened, but whatever it was, your boy toy here, he's scarred…deep. Paralyzed by trauma, by fear."

The ex-angel broke into laughter, "I mean, look at you. You can't even hit me." That's when he reared his fist back and just slammed into Metatron's face.

"I'd maybe not piss him off, you know, if you wanna make it through the night, alive." Castiel gripped Metatron by the lapels on his jacket and drew him close, "It's not fear." She stepped back and let him just go at the man who'd made his life a living hell.

"The Darkness—wat do you know?"

"Okay. So I misjudged. You're not scared. You're mad. And I get it. I mean, it must suck being everyone's tool, manipulated and used by the angels, by your enemies, by your friends…by her." He motioned to the blonde, now sitting perched on the table again, feet dangling over the edge.

"She has never used me." He kicked Metatron in the ribs, knocking him back to the floor. "You thought if you could get your grace back, it would help fix you, but it hasn't!" He struck Metatron again, grabbing the collar of his under shirt now, "The darkness."

"Who do you have to thank for how angry you are, how lost?" Castiel threw him into some old, seemingly long-forgotten, Machinery, Metatron's face bruised and bloody as Grace watched from the side lines.

"You're welcome." Castiel just punched him again, and again, and again, repeating the action.

"Castiel…" her tone was even, balanced one might say "Enough, Castiel."

"Go on, Castiel. End me" The angel looked down at his hand, splattered with blood, whether it was his own, or a mix of the two, he didn't know, nor care.

"No."

"Oh, please, Castiel. Help me."

"You said you were happy, your "Bootstraps."

"I was faking it. I mean, I thought, "How—how hard could it be?" can't take anymore—not a single human day. I mean…the indignities—they just don't stop—Make—making my rent and keeping my phone charged…Hemorrhoids."

"You were right, Metatron. I am sick of having my strings pulled, which is why I won't let you manipulate me into letting you off easy. Tell us about the darkness."

"The truth—ha—it'd make the bible thumpers' heads explode. I mean, they want their god to be a-a f-finger snapping, all-powerful creator, you know…and they want magic…Mary Poppins. But what he did—Creation. That took work. Took sacrifice. To create the world, god had to give up the only thing he'd ever known. He had to betray and sacrifice his only kin. The Darkness…his sister."

"But then how did…How was Grace even…?"

"Avarin was made from pieces of both of them, She is neither light nor darkness."

"How can something be neither light nor dark?"

"Simply put she is Apeiron, boundless. But that's just one translation, others might include: impalpable or intangible. Apeiron generated the opposites, hot-cold, wet-dry, those sort of things, which acted on the creation of the world. Everything is generated from Apeiron and then it is destroyed by going back to Apeiron, according to necessity. She's the very product of two opposites."

Castiel looked at the blonde who just shrugged "Don't look at me, He told me nothing other than that I had to come back. I still get flashes of memories from time to time, but I don't remember the word Apeiron ever coming up."

"That's because it was off the books, no one told you because no one knew but a select few. The Apeiron has generally been understood as a sort of primal force. It acted as the substratum supporting and directing the movement of things, by which there grew up all of the host of shapes and differences which are found in the world." Grace quirked a brow up at the fact he seemed to know so much about her creation.

"And just how do you know all of this?"

"I watched you grow, just as much as Castiel, Arda, Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer, as well as all the other Angel's did. I did get some of my memories back of you, you know, despite no longer being an angel. To put it layman's terms, you are imagination in a physical form."

* * *

"Look, Cas, I'm as glad as anyone that Stella got her groove back, okay? But you let Metatron go?"

"Dean, how many times are you going to repeat that question?"

"I'm gonna say it again. You let Metatron go?"

"He's not going anywhere. If he makes a move, if he draws the slightest attention, the full force of Angelkind will snuff him out. Look, you—neither of you saw him. He is a human, and a pitiable one at that. He's not a threat to us. I-I mean, I put him in traction."

"Guys, bigger fish to fry here. Amara is in the wind."

"Yeah, god's freaking sister…" Grace looked torn, she wanted to tell her brother's everything that had transpired

"You said you were close. Dean how'd she get away?" now all eyes fell on the eldest Winchester, "Yeah, Dean. How'd Amara get away?"

"I'm sorry, what part of "God's freaking sister" did you not understand? She overpowered me—end of story. What's our plan here, Fella's…and…lady?" Grace quirked a brow again, "Since when do you refer to me as "Lady?""

"You said you got everything you could out o Metatron, right? So, where on earth are we gonna find and answer on how to stop her? I don't suppose god's decided to share an wisdom on the matter."

"I'll look into the lore." with that Sam turned to lave the briefing room.

* * *

"Sammy?" He turned, looking startled, "Oh, Hey. What's up?"

"Why do you look like you've seen a ghost? He never could resister her blue-eyed stare, he wasn't sure what it was about the color but any girl with blue eyes turned guys into an idiot, but this was is sister, he knew he could tell her anything and it would stay in confidence.

"I, Uh…I saw something I thought I'd forgotten about, that's all."

"I know when you're lying to me, Sam." In that moment he could have sworn he heard his mothers voice, but that was impossible when he hadn't heard it since he was an infant.

"Sammy, please, talk to me. I want to help."

"I saw the cage."

* * *

And that's where I am going to leave chapter 6, please let me know how I'm doing guys. Also, I do apologize that this is over a week late, I had building inspection and midterms last week so I jut had zero time to write. Updates might be slow with only 5-6 weeks left of class and I gotta make sure I ace finals, but I will write over spring break (this week) when I have time.


	7. Just my Imagination

"So, this…Apeiron? What exactly is it? I know Metatron said it was basically imagination, but does that mean that I can just make things, or is it something entirely different?"

the two faced each other, Sam and Dean were out on a job and had flat out told her to, in the harshest way possible, 'stay- put' that meant no popping in or out of the bunker to find them, and Dean specifically, told her _"None of your god-like hoodoo"_ to which she huffed, what if they fell under attack, not that that was likely since the alarm system would go off if anyone tried.

"Well, I know that humans define it as the unlimited, indeterminate, and indefinite ground, origin, or primal principle of all matter. But in heaven it's much more than that. Metatron was correct that it is like imagination, but it's also much bigger. Think of this like…" he seemed to contemplate for a second before a good explanation came to him "a piece of coal, ordinarily it just looks like a brick of black rock, but when you compress it under immense pressure what does it become?"

"Am I really getting a lecture on coal…from an Angel?" Castiel rolled his eyes, "Look, I understand. And I know what's coming next, use my powers for good, not evil. Don't let Lucifer get to me, or the other angels because they will abuse my powers…" she felt like a child being told to remember to lock the door and not answer it for anyone.

"It would be catastrophic if heaven got hold of you, the way it stands now."

"I understand, Cas." He smiled standing from his chair and walking over to sit next to her, "I'm glad. You seem to have a lot more common sense than your…brothers…" his mind seemed distant.

"Hey, I'm still confused on that too. I mean I was raised with them but at the same time I was technically never born…" the angel looked sympathetic.

"All those memories of my birth that he just…put there, against her will, and John's too…why do I feel guilty?"

"You shouldn't feel guilty, Grace. You were placed here to be kept safe, that's why all of the angel's memories were wiped, at least—I assume." This did nothing to brighten the woman's mood.

"Hey, look at me." She made no movement, the angel sighed, turning her head to face him.

"How about we talk about something else?" there was an unnamed emotion in her eyes when she finally did look up at him, needless to say, the angel felt an unusual amount of anger bubble up at his mate's suffering.

* * *

*next day*

Grace listened as her brother's heavy footfall echoed in the hallways, why he woke up at 6:30 she would never understand, but that wasn't the only foot fall she heard. Quietly, she got up off her bed and walked to the door, seeing who else it could possibly be, they all knew dean was a sleep until 11 to noon kind of guy. Peeking out of a small crack in the door she saw a rather chubby man with rainbow suspenders, close behind. Grabbing her old baseball bat she waited for the figure to pass her door before creeping out into the corridor. The faint sound of running water could be heard from the kitchen. All of a sudden the figure vanished and she heard a very loud "SURPRISE!"

Picking up her pace she looked like a raving lunatic with her bat held high above her head as she stood in the door way.

"Who are you!?"

"It's me, Sam. It's sully!"

"What?"

"What?" the siblings shared a strange look "You remember my, right? I-I made all your favorite snacks." Sam did not look convinced and grace still really wanted to crack him with the metal bat.

"We were friends, like, best friends. You remember?"

"Sully." The man then turned to look at Grace, though he seemed perplexed, "I know you too…but I don't know why." Grace narrowed her eyes,

"I don't know you."

"You're not real."

Well, how'd you punch me…then?"

"This can't be happening." That's when dean showed up, he gave a passing glance to his sister,

"What's with the bat? You finally gonna crack Sammy for all those times he watched you sleep?" Grace looked alarmed, "What?"

"Dean, shut up."

"Oh yeah, Sammy loved to sneak into your room sometimes, it's kind of disturbing, like he's fascinated with you."

"Sam!"

"That is not true!" the petite blonde narrowed her eyes before letting them drift back to the oddly dress man in their kitchen.

"Dude. Who you talking to anyways?"

"Him." Dean looked around, not seeing anybody.

"Are you having a stroke? Do you smell toast"

"He can't see me unless I want him too." Sully's expression was smug, and grace still wanted to club him and throw him into the dumpster he appeared to crawl out of.

"What is all this crap? When'd you start eating this stuff? Is that marshmallows on nachos?"

"This wasn't me." Sam looked both confused and overly tired, like he'd stepped into some new fresh hell of a nightmare.

"It was me." Sully finally revealed himself to dean, "and those are delicious." It appeared the eldest sibling finally understood why his sister really had the bat in her hands.

"Wait a second. C-can you see him?"

"Uh-huh." He looked relatively disturbed that his little brothers imaginary friend was in their kitchen.

"Dean, this, um…I think this is…sully, M-My friend from when I was a kid."

"You mean Mork from Ork here is your dumbass imaginary friend sully?"

"Yeah." A sheer look of disbelief washed over Dean and Grace's features.

"Uh, I'm not dumb or ass."

"I'm getting the mace."

"I'm gonna get my gun."

"No, Please." He moved to stop Dean, but grace was having none of it, punching the old imaginary friend below the belt. Dean and Sam were horrified, as the eldest cautiously moved his own hand over his junk.

"Someone killed my friend."

"You mean your imaginary imaginary friend?"

"First off, "Imaginary friend" is more of a descriptive term. How you just said it? That was a little…offensive, just to be honest. Secondly, we're Zanna. Me and…me and the victim were Zanna"

"I'm may not sleep anymore, but even I am too tired for this shit right now."

Sam and Dean looked confused, grace sighed, "He and this friend help kids."

"Yeah, okay. Um…You know what? I'm still trying to wrap my head around this whole you being real thing." Sam literally looked like a deer in headlights, unsure of what any of what sully was saying actually was.

"Aw! Yeah, no, no, of course. No, that's okay. That's okay. This is all really unexpected." Grace finally set the bat down by the door

"Yeah, that's one word for it."

"Just…I need your help. All right, you're hunters. That's what you do, right? I mean, you help people, too."

"Yeah. Yeah, people. You are not that." Sully looked heartbroken as Deans abrasive side came to the surface.

"Dean, come on."

"Come on? are you kidding—look…this—mother—you and me, library, right now. Come on!" Grace stared between the two, Dean looked at her as they left.

"You, stay." Sully tried to follow them but grace grabbed his arm as Dean turned on him again.

"Yeah. No, I'll just stay here…with the crazy one." Grace clanged the bat against the wall once and he shut up.

* * *

"That's the place. It's a horror show in there."

"You mean, you've been inside?"

"Last night." Sully sifted so he was between the brothers now, shoving Grace further towards the window.

"Remind me, why did I get drug into this?"

"Well for starters, you almost went full Gallagher on his ass, and second, with Cas out, wherever he is, I figure you'd rather not be in the bunker alone." The blonde rolled her eyes, Dean had a point.

"Fine, but for the record, I was not going to go full Gallagher."

"I'm in management now, so I don't get out in the field much. I just came to see Sparkle"

"Sp—Sparkle?"

"Yeah." Grace was tired of being shoved against the door by this guy's not so imaginary anymore ass, so she opened the door and climbed out.

"Oh, I show up and…I mean, the place was bananas. Kid had called the cops, mom's freaking out, and…Sparkle…Sam, it was horrible."

"Okay, so according to Zanna rules, the kid is the only witness, right?

"Yeah. Oh, poor thing. I'll meet you inside." With that, Sully disappeared.

"All right, what are you thinkin'?" with the Zanna finally gone the siblings finally had a chance to talk with some sense.

"Honestly, right now I don't know what to think, my life is like one of those Spanish telenovelas, only instead of waking up to find my twin sister who I never knew I had, but is really my second cousin, this guy in rainbow suspenders is making me question god…"

Sam and Dean rang the door bell, before turning back to Grace as they waited.

"You're a student, studying child psychology at the local university."

"Yeah, I get that…but oxford sweater…really?" the door opened before dean could retort.

"Can I help you?" the woman who opened the door was about average for working middle class, short, brown hair, fair complexion, overworked mom wardrobe.

"Uh Mrs. Berman, I'm Dr. Strummer. This is my associate—

"Dr. MacGowan" the woman's eyes landed on Grace,

"Oh, Um, Hello. I'm Grace Lienau, I'm studying at the local college." The woman looked uncertain.

"We are trauma counselors with child services, Grace is doing an internship with us for the semester. We're here to follow up on a police report filed yesterday."

"Oh, that was…come in." the woman looked tired as they all stepped in.

"Uh, My daughter, Maddie, she's the one who called. Uh, she has an active imagination. She made up this unicorn man, Sparkle. But, um, she thinks he's dead in her room."

"So, Sparkle is a unicorn and also a man?" Grace's eyes trailed to Maddie who stared off at nothing from the other room.

"Yeah." Mrs. Berman just looked like she wanted this whole ordeal to be over.

"So a Manicorn?" Dean looked like he was trying not to laugh

"I—I guess?" Sam's face showed annoyance at his older brothers attempt at joking.

"Pardon me, but, uh, may we…" Grace sharply jabbed Dean in the side as Mrs. Berman turned her back.

"Yes Please. Thank you."

"Great." Sam crouched down in front of the little girl who barely acknowledged his existence.

"Hey, Maddie. My partner and I would like to ask you about last night. About Sparkle." Sam seemed to be getting nowhere fast. Grace came to crouch next to her brother.

"Maddie, sweetheart, your mom says you don't want to go back into your room?" finally a response, Maddie shook her head.

"How come?" Brown eyes met blue as Maddie leaned closer and whispered, "All of the blood."

* * *

Mrs. Berman led them upstairs and towards Maddie's bedroom. "This has been her room since she was a baby. She's loved this room. And then last night…"

"Do you mind if we take a look around?" she shrugged as if it weren't a problem at all. "I'll be right back."

"Thank you, Mrs. Berman." And with that the woman was gone.

"All right. What's the problem?"

"I don't know."

"I told you it was horrible." Grace nearly screamed as Sully popped back into the room.

"All right, you need to STOP doing that!"

"You mind enlightening us?" Dean suggested, Sully looked confused for a second before realization dawned on him.

"Oh. Mm." He stepped over random spots on the floor, making his ay over to the three siblings.

"If I show you all e can see, you cant tell a soul."

"Oh, yeah, 'cause chicks dig the whole imaginary friend thing." The joke was wasted, Grace figured it was maybe because Zanna didn't date.

"Fine." Sully pushed his fingers against their foreheads and almost instantly the horror scene revealed itself.

"Oh my god…" the blonde looked like she was going to be sick

"Oh. Oh, yeah. That kid is gonna need all the shrinks." No snide comments form the background came, despite Dean waiting for it.

"Wait a second. So his…blood is glittery?"

"Even when he's dead, sparkle can't stop shining."

"Well…that's disturbing…" Sully looked at Grace, "Who would do this?" the blonde just shrugged, afraid if she opened her mouth she might puke.

"It was a blade."

"Sully, can Zanna see other Zanna?" It seemed Sam had a Theory piecing together in his brain.

"Of course. But it's not what you're thinking. A Zanna could never do this." Mrs. Berman chose that moment to come back.

"Nothing to see, right? I was always under the impression that it was a parent's job to let a child be a child as long as possible."

" _Oh this is bad."_

"Maybe we let her get too carried away. I don't know. I mean…" as Mrs. Berman wandered around the room she stepped in the glittery blood, tracking it around the room, disturbing everyone but herself.

"An imaginary friend named Sparkle. What's cuter than that?" then she touched her face, her hand covered in the Zanna's blood.

"Oh…that's…"she smudged it on her face now, "I'm sorry. I'm being as dramatic as my daughter now.

" _Um, it's on her face. Sam, It's on her face!"_

"Just tell me. How do we get our girl back?"

" _She's got sparkle on her face!"_

" _Somebody's gotta say something. Someone's gotta say something."_ The Zanna was just becoming more and more erratic as the conversation drew on.

"You know what? Is there a spare bedroom?" she nodded " Great. Uh, Maybe Maddie can sleep there. That should help."

" _It's on her face."_

"And a hot shower does wonders."

"Real deep scrub. Purify."

"For Maddie?"

"The whole family." Grace just smiled, trying not to look to disturbed that Maddie's mother now looked like a serial killer from one of those cop shows.

"Yeah, just get the whole gang in there. You know, the family that showers together…"

" _Pull up. Pull up."_

"You now what, Mrs. Berman? Why—Why don't you start there? You can contact our office for more guidance if you like."

"Okay."

* * *

"Nikky didn't check in with the home office last night. This can't be happening."

"You gazoos can talk to each other?"

"Us Zanna share a telepathic link. She wouldn't be in there." The siblings shared a look before following Sully to the backyard.

"A frickin' mermaid?" the four now stood in the backyard as a gold mermaid tail hung over the side of a store bought swimming pool.

"It's a bloodbath." Sam walked closer to investigate, Grace tilted her head in confusion.

"All right, just let it out." Dean urged the Zanna who was trying not to cry.

"Uh, no. no. I gotta stay strong for Sam."

"Looks like more stabbing." Grace walked towards the edge of the pool, a perplexed expression on her face, Sam made a mental note to ask her what was up, but right now was not the right time.

"Okay, Sully, is there anybody that would want to hurt, uh, Nikky?"

"No. Well…"

"What?"

"Oh, well, I mean, her boyfriend's a little clingy. But he's one of my best friends." Sam and Dean shared a look as Grace continued to stare off.

"Guys, Weems would never hurt Nikky. I mean, he loved her too much."

"Well, too much ain't good. So let's go talk to the mermaids boyfriend, because apparently, imaginary friends have boyfriends now."

"Wait! Wait! We can't just leave her here. It's disturbing for the kid."

All right, well, what do you wanna do? Find a giant toilet and flush it?" Sam, and Sully stared at him in disbelief, but Grace still made no movements.

"You're right. I was…what would you like us to do?"

"We bury her…" All three turned to look at the blonde, "What?"

"I remember this…The Zanna." Sully looked confused, "What is she talking about?" SAM AND Dean shared a look, "Grace, now's not really the time to…"

"There's some shovels back there, we give her a proper burial, then we go find Weems."

"Yes Ma'am." Dean had figured out it was best not to question her when she got this way.

* * *

*Late night.*

The four stepped out of the impala, Sully had gotten a link from Weems while they were on the road so now they were looking for him, following a trail of blood that led right to the storage shed.

"Weems! Weems, are you okay?" Sam turned on the lights so they could better assess the damages as Weems grunted, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"Yeah. It went right through my love handle. My fat saved me. Can you believe that?"

"Fat is the best."

"Yeah." Weems and Sully seemed trapped in their own little world until dean piped up.

"Yeah, well, The mermaid wasn't so lucky"

"Is he talking to me?" The Zanna seemed to finally take notice of the other three in the shed as Grace stepped forward.

"I could heal that…if you want me too." Weems looked confused, though considering everything that's happened today, nothing was surprising.

"Who are these guys?"

"They're friends." Sully moved aside so Grace could take his spot, watching with awe as her hands started to glow in the dimly lit space.

"Hey, Weems, when was the last time you saw Nikky the mermaid?"

"Yesterday, why?" Grace pulled her hands away, letting them rest at her side as she stood up, Sully looked appreciative. "What happened to Nikky?"

"She was murdered." Sam just cut right to the chase, it seems Dean was rubbing off on him.

"What?!"

"Weems, I am so sorry."

"No!" the Zanna began to cry, "She—she was my girl!"

"Sparkles gone, too" Weems only got more erratic with this news, "Not Sparkle! Dude, that's like, our whole posse." Now sully was starting to cry.

"I know, right? But hey, you're okay. You're okay."

"Okay, All right, so you're all pals. Is there anybody who would have beef with the bunch of you?"

"I've never seen her before in my life."

"Wait a second. You saw somebody?"

"Some chick. After she…shivved me, she took off in an old VW Bug." Finally, some real information.

* * *

"So, what's up with you?" Grace sat next to Dean in the impala, "What?"

"You seem so chill about all of this, everything that's happened today."

"To be honest…I'm Numb, Dean, and tired. But something has been bugging me, since this whole ordeal began."

"Yeah, and what's that?" there was concern in his eyes, "Why did I forget about the Zanna people?"

"Why?" it hurt him to see her like this, It hurt to see either of his siblings in pain. ever since they'd found her in the crater, it's like she was two different people, but then again, she technically was.

"Grace, I don't pretend to have all the answers, I don't even pretend to understand what this has been, but…maybe it was to keep you safe, or maybe somebody wanted you out of the way, I really have no clue. Let's just get this over with so we can go home, then maybe we can do some more research." He opened the door and climbed out, clicking the flashlight on as he went to investigate the old VW bug.

That's when Grace saw something move from the shadows.

"Dean!" he turned but it was already too late as the person clubbed him, first in the back of the head, then the side, knocking him into the glass window of their vehicle. She slid down out of sight as whoever it was drug her brother into the barn, quickly texting Sam the address.

* * *

Once Sam and Sully pulled up she climbed out of the car "She took Dean, I stayed down until you guys got here." Sam looed surprised, she had actually stayed out of harm's way, then again, who knew what could happen if someone clocked her with a bat.

" Let's go." Heading into the barn, Sam clicked his won flashlight on, "Hold it." Whoever was murdering Zanna now had Dean at gun point.

"Reese?"

"Hey, stranger." Sam and Grace stared at Sully, then at the girl, "You give me sully, I give you your brother." She seemed angry, Grace frowned,

"Put the gun down."

"What do you want with Sully?"

"Ask him." She made no move to acknowledge grace's request, "He's the one who killed my sister. Sam and Grace immediately turned to look at the Suspender wearing man

"It was an accident."

"What?"

"Reese and her twin sister, they were my first kids after I thought I screwed things up with you."

"So this is his fault?" Grace frowned, she knew she'd have no choice but to attack her if Reese attacked Sam.

"No. No, Reese, I'm the one that bungled it. It was me. I should never have let her chase me into the street." Reese finally let the gun fall from Deans head as she advanced on Sully, race got ready to blast the girl if she tried anything.

"We were just playing tag. I don't know why I didn't see the car coming. That's why I never went back in the field. That's why I never found another kid. I was too scared I'd hurt 'em."

"Do you know how bad you messed me up? "Audrey's dead because of the invisible man" try telling that to ten different kiddie shrinks. I always wondered if sully was real, so I got obsessed with folklore. I studied abroad in Romania, and then I found out he's a Zanna."

"Yes, and Zanna are good."

"That's what the witch tried to tell me, too."

"You made a deal… you fool!" Reese just looked more and more deranged, as Grace laid into her.

"She sold me a spell. So that I'd be able to see these freaks. She gave me this, too." She showed Sam and Grace the knife she'd been using to kill the other's.

"Finally, I can save other kids from these monsters."

"So you killed his friends…to get to him?" Grace was disgusted, Sam put a gentle hand on hr shoulder to calm her down.

"Easy, Gracie." She tried to relax,

"And I would have done it sooner if these three hadn't shown up."

"Why didn't you call? I would've come."

"Honestly, I kind liked watching you suffer. You weren't just Audrey's best friend. You were mine, too. And after she died, Sully, I…I never needed you more.

"I panicked when Audrey died, and I left you to deal with the pain 'cause I couldn't handle being the one that caused it."

"So maybe I'll take something you love, sully—A real person." Sam raised his gun.

"That's not gonna happen." Sully was silent for a moment, "Will killing me make you feel better?"

"No, sully, that's not the answer."

"This is what I do." He pushed Sam's gun down and stood in front of Reese, "Whatever's best for the kid. Reesy…if this is what you need, I'm okay with it." Reese had tears I her eyes as she stepped towards Sully.

"I'm still mad. I can't stop it. I'm just still so mad!"

"Reese. Trust me. Revenge? It's not going to make you feel better. My brothers and I, we've seen our fair share of monsters. And I mean real monsters. Bad. These guys? the Zanna, these are sesame street mother Teresa's." Dean stood from his seat.

"When I wasn't there for my little brother, Sully was. Now, look, I'm not saying that he didn't make a mistake, but you know there is not a monstrous bone in his body." Reese and Sully stared at one another, the knife still pressed into the Zanna's shirt.

"I am so, so sorry" Finally the knife dropped, clattering to the floor as Reese hugged the Zanna man.

"Oh, Reesy, I am so sorry." he hugged the girl extra tight.

* * *

As they watched her leave, Sully waved with a smile on his face, "So, now that you know about Audrey, you probably never want to see me again." He chuckled nervously as he spoke to Sam.

"Ever think…maybe you're a hero to me?" Sully chuckled again, "Yeah."

"Sully…one thing I've learned—Hero's aren't perfect."

"Mm. Sometimes they're scared. But that just means the thing that they're facing, it's super important. And nobody ese is gonna go for it because nobody else has got the balls." Dean and grace walked up to the two,

"Well, it is that time again."

"You, um, you'll look in on Reese?"

"Don't worry. I will be checking in. And, Dean, Grace, thank you both for looking out for Sam. You two are not germs at all." Grace looked confused.

"Did he just call me a germ? I mean, Dean I get, but what did I ever do to piss you off?" Sam looked uncomfortable, being put on the spot by his little sister.

"You know, Sully, you're not gonna ever get me to admit that you're not the weirdest thing out there, but, um…you're a good weird."

"Aww, Dean, what a nice attempt at a compliment." Grace teased, he just gave her a look to tell her to shut up.

"Mm. Good luck, buddy." With that the imaginary man vanished.

"Let's do it."

* * *

As the drove down the road back towards he bunker, Sam finally broke the silence.

"Dean, we seriously need to discuss me going into the cage." Dean sighed, now that Grace no longer slept conversations in the car were difficult, he supposed he could have asked her to pop back to the bunker, but this time it seemed it was a family discussion she needed to be part of.

"Okay. Not happening. good talk."

"Dean…"

"No, Grace, all right. Even if Sam's visions are real—"

"Yeah. It's lucifer? And Me? In the cage? I know. But this—lump in my throat…it's not an excuse. Not anymore."

"Sammy, we'll find another way. Okay?" Sam looked at his sister through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, there's always another way."

"Okay. Then tell me. What is the other way?"

* * *

I am SOOOO sorry this took me so long to do, my motivation for writing right now is like...in the toilet, but I'm trying, I have a convention to prep for that's in just a little over 2 weeks, and I am scrambling to find all my cosplay stuff and make sure I have the money to pay for the hotel room on top of food expenses, so wish me luck! Also, I do plan to havee more Cas and Grace interaction coming up in future chapters, (Maybe some smuttier chapters like in "An angel's grace") but we'll see how it pans out. Anywyas, please review if you liked this chapter, it boosts my morale!

Till next time readers :D


	8. O brother where art thou?

"Sam?" the siblings were in a park, birds sand their chipper little songs in the background, "Is this really the answer? Is this what you want?" Grace looked mildly surprised as the bush caught fire.

"Well…that's…definitive. The only problem is convincing Dean…" Sam looked tired, anyone could see that, even from a distance. She held out a warm cup of coffee to her brother and smiled.

"He'll come around, though. We don't have many other options left."

"I know." He smiled, taking the coffee

"Dean's right about one thing though…We need to be careful."

* * *

"Because it's crazy, okay? And it's not gonna happen. How many times do I have to say that this is a horrible idea?"

Dean was furious, not that it was anything new, he always shot down Sam's seemingly crazy plans, until he could try and reason out a more rational one.

"About as many times as I have to say, okay, then what else we got? Listen I am all ears. Dean I'd ordinarily, I'd agree with you. But the visions only happen when I reach out to god. I asked him for a way to beat the Darkness, and the visions got more specific. And…I was in the cage."

"Yeah, with lucifer, the biggest monster ever hatched. Fan-freaking-tastic."

Dean looked at Grace to weigh in on their brother's insanity, but she jus shrugged her shoulder, stood, and went to grab a bottle of whatever from the fridge.

* * *

" _Grace."_ She damn near almost dropped her beer as Chucks voice rang in her ear.

" _Oh good…so I now know we have a telepathic link…wonderful."_

" _Don't get smart with me…And it's not telepathy, it's angel radio."_ The blonde rolled her eyes, popping the top off her bottle and taking a swig.

" _Listen to me, I don't have a lot of time. But I'm not the one sending Sam visions."_ She almost choked, sputtering from a second, it seemed Sam and Dean were still arguing.

" _Okay…well, if it's not you, then who is it."_

" _I'm looking into it, but for now you have to keep Sam out of the cage."_

" _I'll try, but once his mind is set…"_

" _Just, do what you can."_ The connection cut off and shesighed.

"So, god assured you of this, did he? Let's say you're making this up. I mean, I never thought of you as imaginative…" Crowley turned his attention to Grace who rolled her eyes at him.

"Her on the other hand…"

"We're not saying it's gonna happen. We just wanna know…"

"Theoretically…"

"If it's possible." Grace tugged her jacket tighter around her, Crowley looked less than impressed.

"The cage is a can of worms you do not want to open. I believe this conversation is over."

"Is it?" Crowley stopped to look at Grace, ready to pop out of there. "Crowley, you know that the Darkness is gonna pound on everything, that includes you."

"Yeah, you had a shot at taking her out when she was with you, but apparently, you thought sucking up was the way to go."

"And that didn't work out so well."

Sam and Dean both interjected, the blonde had a point, but Crowley had never been good at admitting his weaknesses.

"Because she chose you. And you couldn't control your girlfriend. What happened in that room? Why did she insist on sparing you? What is she to you?" Sam and Grace shifted awkwardly, she knew the truth already, Dean hadn't even had to spill secrets for that one, she guessed it was just the perk of being gods child.

"You wanna know what she is, Crowley? How about God's sister?" Crowley looked uncomfortable now, staring in surprise at the siblings now.

"God's sister? He has relatives? I had that kind of leverage under my thumb and I let it slip away." Grace frowned, rolling her eyes. She hoped now that Dean and Sam kept her secret, she did NOT want to be in Crowley's hands as some bargaining chip.

"Can we focus on the big picture here, okay? Can Sam meet with Lucifer or not?"

"In the cage."

"No, not in the cage. That's not gonna happen. I'll send Grace in there before I put you back in." Grace stared at her brother intensely, "I'm not going in there. Lucifer's a fucking psycho…dude probably tries to fuck anything that moves…" Dean did a double take at her words but shook his head, getting back on topic.

"Okay, then I don't meet with Lucifer. Dean, we can't let him out." Crowley looked contemplative as the two men argued.

"What?" Deans attention was draw back to the spaced out self-proclaimed "King of hell"

"There may be a way." There were a few moments of silence.

"Well…let's hear it."

"Clearly, if Sam enters the cage, he's gone. I mean, yes, its on my bucket list, but now's not the time to be selfish. Need a secure site, a way to neutralize lucifer's powers."

"In hell?" If she could she'd have smacked Sam silly, there was no way to bring Lucifer out of the cage without him figuring out a way of escape, not on the surface. It had to be in hell.

"Yes, in hell. So we have a modicum of control. You think I want that abomination running amok upstairs."

"Is it possible to control the situation? Because if Sam's not safe, it's not happening."

"Goodness mummy, loosen the grip. Theoretically, it's possible. There are challenges. I can arrange a transit into hell. Opening the cage, that's another matter."

"You're the king od the joint. Don't you have a key?"

"Dean!" Eloquence had never been the man's strong suit…once when she was little he flat out told her to go kick some kids ass for pushing her off a swing, now that didn't mean that wasn't exactly what she had done, but it had gotten him one hell of a fight with John.

"It was sealed by god himself, of course I don't "Have a key." The Mechanism is of divine manufacture. I believe it's secrets, along with the spells for warding Sam, are recorded here many such mysteries are found." The siblings shared a look, Sam and Dean did not seem to like where this was going.

"The book of the Damned."

* * *

"Please tell me you're not handing me over to them? It's beneath even you. They're your enemies as well." The red heads eyes landed on the blonde and she looked confused, but only for a moment

"All right, Rowena, we get it, we're all enemies. Okay? But right now, we got bigger fish to fry. Ten we can go back to killing each other." The witch smiled.

"Ah. The chicken's come home to roost. This ghastly force set free when the mark was removed."

"So you know?" something about Rowena set Grace on edge.

"I've heard whispers. As bad as they say?"

"Well, let's just say that everyone in this room might hold a piece of the puzzle to corking it back up."

"Oh, Really? And what happens to me once the danger's past? How do I know if I can trust any of you?" Dean cocked his head to the side, Grace shuffled her foot through some dirt on the floor.

"You don't. none of us do. It's a devils bargain."

* * *

"Can this be true? His sister? Oh, in my day we'd all be burnt at the stake for even thinking any of this."

"You see then, mother, the need for urgency."

"Well, if my deciphering of the book is so pivotal, I'd like to know what's in it for me." Grace rubbed her temple, there was some broadcast over angel radio and it was making her head hurt.

"Hey, you all right?" Sam's expression held concern, "Angel Radio again?" she nodded, though she didn't want to say anymore in front of Rowena, Sam pulled her away from the main conversation out into the corridor.

"Sam, I'm fine. Really. It's just a small faction of low ranking angels trying to stage some coup, I'm sure Cas already picked up on it." He still looked uncertain.

"Are you sure?" she smiled "I promise. Now we need tog et back to negotiating. I'm not anymore excited about this than the rest of you." Sam clapped her on the back as they stepped back inside.

"If you cooperate, I'll call off my assassins. No more looking over your shoulder…for now."

"I'll need the codex, of course. And the code breaker Charlie devised."

"Yeah, you'll get limited access. Supervised." Grace wondered.

"Maybe…Maybe I can be of use too." All eyes were on her now, "I mean…since I came back I'm kind of a plethora of universal knowledge, plus if she tried anything…" Dean looked interested in the proposition, he knew Grace had god-like abilities now, and despite not wanting her involved, it seemed the best option to keep Rowena in check,

"All right. We need to know exactly this—how to open the cage and how to protect Sam once it is."

"Just what's in this cage that's so dangerous?" there was silence, suffocating and mood killing…it was a minute before anyone responded.

"Lucifer." Rowena looked uncertain if she'd heard Sam correctly, this was already a bad idea as it was, and now one of the most powerful witches around knew the secret.

"Lucifer? The original Dark Prince?"

"Yes, an Archangel so badass that he was personally dumped into the cage by god himself." There was a stifled fangirlish squeal from the red head and Grace frowned, she was increasingly more uncomfortable with this plan.

"Let's get to it then."

* * *

" _Hey, Grace. Sorry you got sucked into this…"_

"It's fine, Dean. Really. At least we know the stuff we're looking for is definitely in the book." She scowled as Rowena tried to flip the pages and made sure all unneeded pages of the book stuck together.

"Hey! Hey, Hey, Hey! No snooping around in there. Focus." Rowena looked pissed off, yet curious.

"You find anything at the church?"

" _Uh, just got here. The cops said that the, uh, the last time the vics were seen alive, one of them was a priest, they were talking to some mystery woman. She was not killed."_

"Amara?"

" _Yeah, I'm bettin'. Apparently, it's a massacre. The place is covered in blood."_

"So, she's upping her game. She's gonna pass the point where we can deal with her."

" _Listen, are you sure that you're…You're okay with this whole deal?"_ she sighed, her mind had gone over all of this probably a million times by now.

"No. not even a little. But what choice do we have, you know?"

" _Okay, well for the record, I hate it. Just wait for me. Don't do anything until I get there."_ She smiled, almost laughing at his overprotectiveness.

"Well, right now it's just research, but you got it. Nothing without you."

" _All right, Take care, Grace."_ She hung up the phone and turned back to the red head "You talk about trust" Grace ignored Rowena, ide chit chat with a witch was not on her planner for the day.

"You and your blood thirsty brothers say we're partners in this Holy war against Amara, and yet…" the chains are her wrists rattled, as if demonstrating a point. "Trussed like a chicken" Grace rolled her eyes, but finally looked Rowena in the eyes.

"How exactly did you get the pages to stick together?"

"Listen, Lady. You're sitting there with the Book of the Damned and the means to read every word, and you think we're just going to set you free? Do I look stupid to you?"

"Well, your family does have some unresolved issues. Like those domineering older brothers of yours. And the abandonment of your father." She knew what Rowena was trying to do, and if she knew the truth of who she really was…the woman would have a fucking field day.

"You know what? Just get back to work, all right?" Rowena chuckled, "We don't have time for your games, Rowena.

"Aha!" Grace turned, exasperated with the woman, "What now?"

"Well, I'll need some ingredients, go find Sam and then summon Fergus. And tell him to bring a handcart."

"A handcart?" she looked up, an almost dramatic expression on her face, "We are going to hell."

* * *

"Grace, Deans not picking up"

"Everything is in order. Fergus is coming."

"We promised Dean we'd call."

"I promised Lincoln a fun night at the theatre. Things change. It's now or never." Grace looked disturbed, what else had this woman done with famous historical figures? Scratch that, she did not need to know.

* * *

"Flop sweat, sonny? Dread of what's to come?" Rowena really had a knack for getting under someone's skin.

"Can it. Your barbs may amuse your circle of hags, but you have no idea what you're tempering with, what Lucifer is capable of."

"Well, dear, if you can't stand the heat, get out of hell. I must say, its not as scenic as I'd expected." The sound of thunder brought back many unwanted memories for Grace, but she kept them buried, couldn't risk Lucifer getting a look inside her head.

"We're in the furthest reaches of hell—limbo—where I send unruly souls for time outs."

"This is where we meet with Lucifer?"

"What it lacks in ambience, it makes up for in security." When the finally arrived at the end of the long hallway Sam looked put off and Grace just looked disgusted.

' _God…it's like teenage deans room…but darker…'_ she tried not to laugh at the thought as Crowley spoke again.

"Makes your skin crawl, doesn't it? I get it. I'm the king of this place. Still not my cup of tea."

"I don't know, Crowley. I'd say it suits you. Dark. Empty." Crowley stayed silent, "Fascinating, the utter contempt, when I'm in the middle of saving the Winchesters' bacon. Again." The demon then turned to look at the blonde sibling.

"How about you weigh in on this, Angel." Blue eyes twitched, "Call me that again and I'll strangle you with your own tongue, and then feed you to your hell hounds. The point of all of this is to save everyone's bacon, not just our own, Crowley. Including yours, but I mean, if you're not interested…I'm sure we could arrange something."

"Ooh, the tiny ones are the feistiest, aren't they."

"That cell won't hold crap if the warding's not right."

"Don't you worry about me, Samuel. I'm a professional." At least the woman kept her pride, "You're certain you can do this without actually opening the cage?"

"We're abut to find out, aren't we?

" _Foro dega la moray."_ Some symbols along the bottom of the cell began to light up _"Mah ho tah!"_ flames encapsulated Lucifer's cage and it appeared the spell worked.

"Now…let's have a go at that cage. _For eh say-lah!_ " the thunder in the area got heavier, putting Grace on edge, Sam put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It begins."

As the flames grew stronger Grace could vaguely make out a silhouette, it had glowing red eyes as it peered out of the small expense of the cage.

"My old friend, Crowley." Lucifer seemed to ignore Graces presence, but another memory had pushed through, one she was confused about.

"A mere acolyte, carrying your torch." Lucifer chuckled before turning is gaze on Grace, studying her.

"Ah, so you've returned? The first, real creation of good old dad." Crowley and Rowena looked at the small woman, Rowena with mild surprise, that explained the book pages.

"God's beloved daughter." He scoffed in disgust. "What do you want of me?" Sam stepped back into view after regaining his bearings.

"Sam Winchester. My old roomie." Lucifer got close to the bars, his smile growing, "Hug it out?" now Grace scoffed, he was extremely childish.

"I gotta say, I'm a little in the dark about this meeting. Am I up for Parole? Time off for bad behavior? Did Little Avarin put in a good word for me with the warden?" Rowena and Crowley once again looked to Grace.

"Avarin?" the red haired witch looked mildly interested in the youngest sibling now.

"I don't really get visitors." He was like a cat with a ball of yarn, cunning.

"If it weren't for the crisis topside, you wouldn't be getting one now."

"Crisis? Did little Ava cause another 40 day flood?" he was trying to coax her into anger, and she knew why now, she could get him out of there.

"It's not going to work Lucifer. Let it go. You're aware of the darkness, right?" he looked like he'd been caught red handed stealing from the cookie jar or something as he inhaled sharply.

"Yikes. That—that doesn't sound good. Um…I'm aware of what she was, but that was eons ago."

"She's been released, so no she's somewhere…or everywhere on earth." The former arch angel bit off a little of one of his finger nails and spit it out, looking bored.

"However did that happen?"

"Look, Point is, she poses a threat to all that exists, including you."

"Hmm. Well, tat leads me to my next question. Where's the big burrito himself? Where's god in all of this?"

"All current indications of his presence are—"

"You don't need to know where he is, Lucifer. But he is around." Sam turned and looked at his sister in surprise.

"Of course he'd show himself to you…" There was a sinister, underlying message to the fallen angel's tone as he chuckled.

"Gods favorite creation, he even sent you to this hell hole to make sure you were kept "safe". You came before all of us, his _precious little daughter!"_ She flinched

"Shut up." Graces tone was barely audible, and Sam looked worried. "He had to keep you safe, keep you from finding out the truth."

"The truth?" Sam looked confused, what exactly did Lucifer know?

"He didn't really send you here to protect you, you know? Not really. He sent you to earth, locked away all our memories and yours, because you were losing control. You were a liability!"

"SHUT UP!" there was visible flinching from everyone, but Lucifer himself, who stood, grin still etched on his face.

"And now he's caught the fun bus out of town. Figures."

"Grace, calm down, all right. Don't let him get to you." Sam's attention turned back to Lucifer, "Grace is not the only one he's reached out to. He's reached out to one other interested party."

"Who?"

"Me." Lucifer walked towards the front of his cell again, index finger jutted out, "You?"

"He answered my prayers."

"Did he now? Is that why little Avarin has her mojo back? Or was that because of you and your brother? What was dad's suggestion?"

"To seek out you."

"Get out of town." Lucifer bounced like a happy child on Christmas, "Seriously? Who'd have thunk it? I completely get why you came to me. Can't ignore god, right? God says "Jump" everyone says, "How high?""

"So does this mean you're on board?"

"Well…I did help dad seal up the darkness all those years ago. She's quite a force. Determined to take over everything even back then. Prone to tantrums." Grace had started to wonder if they were talking about Amara or Lucifer himself…

"I can see why pop is laying low. Now hat Sis is here, god's not the only circus in town."

"Is she equal to him in power?"

"Raw power? Sure. But she's got none of the…experience. God is a master strategist. That's why you two are here."

"And why's that?"

"Well, 'cause god needs me to help put the cat back in the bag. Can't do it by himself. Seen that movie. and Ava over there, while immensely strong, isn't going to harm Amara." What did that mean, she made a note to ask before they left.

"So…?"

"I need a ride out of here. I mean, I look swell in here and everything but I'd be so much smoke topside."

"You want a vessel." Once again Lucifer looked like a child, "One who's…strong enough to hold me, handy, and available now." He winked at Sam, and Grace moved in front of her brother, not that it did much to shield him since was at least a foot and half shorter than him.

"Catch my drift?"

"Did you really expect me to agree to this?" simple nods of the head were all Sam received as an answer, Sam scoffed.

"So, what, I just disappear, while you take my body and get set loose on the world again?"

"I know. I know, Sam. it's a lot to ask. But desperate times require desperate measures."

"That's not desperate. That's certifiable!" Grace defended her brother.

"Okay, hold on there a second, cowgirl. Take a breath."

"Screw you."

"You two have been working with Crowley. You passed certifiable three-off ramps ago. And look, I'm no fan of the ruler of the universe, but here I am, ready to pitch in. Sam, Ava, why do you think god sent you to me? To get my help, which I only now just offered." He leaned against the bars of his cage.

"Sam, your visions were the word of god. you can't say no to that. So, have you thought about it, Sam? Do I have an invitation to look forward to?" Sam looked down at Grace, then back at Rowena and Crowley before turning back to lucifer.

"No. I won't do it. There has to be another way." The warding around the cage wore off, and as the flames disappeared Grace felt a wave of nausea hit her, something was about to happen. And as the last of the flames died out she felt a pull. When she opened her eyes again she was inside Lucifer's cage. The Fear began to set it.

"Together again. Avarin, let me look at you, it's been eons." Sam pushed her behind him, instinctually.

"Miss me? I bet you did. I have to say, you—you two are extraordinarily calm given the circumstances."

"It's pretty much exactly how god told me it was going to be. Guess I just have to go with it and play my hand." Lucifer clicked his tongue, turning his back from Sam and Grace.

"And that would make so much sense if it was god that had done the talking. You see, Sam, when the Darkness descended the impact on hell was massive. The cage was damaged. Through the fissures, I was able to reach out. It wasn't god inside your head, Sam. It was me. So you see, he's not with you. He's never been with you. It was always just…me."

Lucifer chuckled, his eyes turning to Grace for a second, enjoying the terrified expression on her face as the news sank in.

"So I…I guess I am your only hope."

"It's never gonna happen."

"Ah. Well…settle in there, buddies. Hey, roomies…upper bunk, lower bunk, floor, or do you wanna share?" Sam kept Grace tucked behind him as Lucifer advanced again. The fallen angel looked like her fear was driving him absolutely wild.

"We're going to have so much…fun. Just like old times, Little Ava."

* * *

So. Finally ch. 8 is done. I really am sorry these updates are so slow. I'm losing steam on just about everything, school, social life, writing. It will pick up again though when I have less stress, I promise.

Anyways, how many of you have started piecing things together? am I making it too easy? if so Let me know in reviews, so I can start making things more confusing MUWAHAHAHAHAHA!


	9. The devil in the details

"You. The visions. Everything. It was all you."

"Impressive, right?"

"And Rowena?" Lucifer gestured like a teacher, "Did as she was told. Groupies—they're always so eager. "

Sam kept a protective stance in front of his sister, now that he knew she and Lucifer had some kind of ancient past, he was determined to keep him away from her.

"So you did all of that just to…to what? Jump my bones?"

"Literally."

"I always knew you were a little gay…" Four eyes drifted down to the blonde.

"Shut up." Lucifer's tone was commanding but she just rolled her eyes, "We both know you don't control me, not back then, and certainly not now." Sam shifted the topic back on track, he knew the two would just be at one another forever otherwise.

"You wasted your time. 'cause, see, I know how this ends."

"Oh, do you, now?"

"Yeah. You'll taunt me, and you'll torture me, and I'll say no, and eventually, sooner than you think, our brothers gonna walk through that door and kick your ass." There was laughter, Grace would have kicked his ass herself, but given the size difference…the odds were not in her favor.

"Dean? You're betting on Dean?"

"We always have."

"Oh, Sam, you've got me all wrong."

"Yeah…right. I doubt that." Another disgusted, yet stern look from Lucifer to Grace who rolled her eyes at the continuation of attempted intimidation.

"Oh, no. I-I'm not here to torture ya—her maybe—I mean, I could. I could inflict pain like you can't even imagine. I could inflict such delicious, perfect pain. But that was so five years ago. No, I'm not going to harm a glorious little hair on your glorious little head, Sam."

"Then, what do you want?"

"To make you an offer you can't refuse. You see, Sam, you need me. And I'm gonna prove it to you." He placed the palm of his hand to Sam's forehead, and then to Grace's, sending them back into memories.

* * *

" _So, the Aztec priests, they thought if they didn't sacrifice people, the whole world would end, so they built all of these temples. The most amazing ones are in Mexico City."_

" _Have you seen them?"_

" _Last year, my dad took me and my brother and sister on a trip to Mexico."_

" _On vacation?"_

" _Kind of a working vacation. Have you ever heard of a Chupacabra?"_

" _No."_

" _Okay, good."_

"Look at that, Sam. A simple girl from a one-stop-light town, and you, the worldly, handsome-ish, Sam Winchester. No, she didn't stand a chance, you remember?"

"Yeah, Why are you—"  
"Here, shh, shh, shh. This is the best part."

" _Sam. You know I didn't bring you here to study, right?"_

" _You didn't?"_

" _No. I-I mean, I just think that you're smart and funny and cute. So, I mean, if you wanna make out…"_

"Boom! That's it. That's what I'm talking about right there, man." Grace looked both confused, and disturbed, this was not something she ever needed to see.

"Kissing?"

"Hey, why am I even here, this has NOTHING to do with me." Lucifer waved her off, "Yeah, yeah, we'll get to you, Ava. Calm down." Grace frowned, "My names not Avarin, it's Grace, you know, like the very thing that makes you an angel."

"You might go by Grace on earth, but in heaven, your name was Avarin, can't change that anymore than I can change being the devil himself, sweetheart." He turned his attention back to Sam once again.

"This is the Sam Winchester that I remember. Bold, decisive, a Solid 'B" on the tongue action."

"What is this about?"

"You used to be a hero, Sam. Hell, you beat me. Now?" He sighed, shaking is head like a father would in disappointment "I don't know. I look at you—I don't even recognize you anymore."

The next place they went to was Stull cemetery.

"The Stull Cemetery."

"Bingo." Grace rubbed her arms, tugging her jacket tighter,

"Why are we here?" Lucifer rubbed his temple, "You're very annoying, ask far too many questions. But, I guess things will never change. "This is where the title fight went down"

"Hey, Ass-butt!" Graces eyes landed on Castiel, this was back when she was 18 or so, she and Cas had not really been close, but seeing him here, he looked just as tired.

"Oh, right, your little romance with Castiel. How's that going by the way."

"Do you really care?" Lucifer quirked a brow at her snarky attitude, "Hey now, I'm trying to make small talk, prove I'm not the bad guy."

"Prove your not…you literally live in a cage…IN HELL!" Castiel threw the flaming bottle of holy oil at Michael and he exploded into flames, his hosts scream's echoing in the sullen atmosphere of the grave yard. She had learned later that the guys name was Adam, another half sibling of her own.

"Ass-butt? I-I-I-I still don't get that." Sam shifted, "Look, I appreciate the stroll down memory lane, but—"

"Sam, have I ever told you how much I respect you?"

"What?"

"What?" Sam and Grace shared a confused look as Lucifer looked between them, "Yeah…that synchronizing thing, very annoying. Don't get me wrong. I don't like you, never liked you—either of you—" his gaze once more fell on grace who just smiled, waved and blew a sarcastic kiss.

"You're—you're sort of prissy, and she's like one of those annoying little purse dogs…kind of looks like one with that curly hair, too." She rolled her eyes and flipped him off, "If you're done insulting me, Lucifer."

"Oh, I'll never tire of insulting you, it's just so much…fun." The two just stared each other down, until Lucifer grew bored and put his attention back on Sam.

"In this moment, when you stood toe-to-toe with me and won, I got to say, you had balls, kid." He turned and he walked away.

"Sam…why didn't you tell me about any of this?" she watched Sam interact with Dean in the memory.

"Dean, he didn't want to drag you into the problem. And who knows what could have happened, Grace."

"It figures, Protect the innocent. Even after all the shit we've been through."

"Exactly, after your mom died, we didn't want to get you involved, but when Cas brought you back in that hospital…we realized you were already too far in. it broke both of our hearts, you know?"

"Sam was willing to do the Hard thing if it meant saving the world." Grace watched as Adam/Michael grabbed onto Sam/Lucifer as he was about to fall back into the Cage.

"That's why Dean made me leave…the pain was too much." She watched the hole re-seal itself, Adam and Sam long gone.

"We both wanted better for you. Doing what we do, it destroys people."

"That Sam, and this Sam…That's not him anymore. You've gone soft, Sammy." The scene changed again and they were just outside the yard of some house.

" _Have you thought about what you're gonna say to him?"_

"Sam let her crash until her place was set for her to move in, thought it was really only a year that she lived in the apartment.

"Here's where it all changed, Sammy."

" _It's just all so surreal."_

"This is the worst thing you've ever done" Grace knew this memory, it was when they'd found out Amelia's ex-boyfriend was still alive, this was one of the hardest memories for Sam.

" _Does he now they told you he was killed in action?"_

"Really?"

"After the leviathans, when your brother was trapped in purgatory, you were here with a girl and a dog. You didn't even bother trying to find him."

"You know what? Not that I have to defend myself to you, but Dean and I promised we wouldn't look for each other, Grace too. She was only here until her apartment was finished."

"Right, and if he never came back, you'd be fine. Grace would be living a sweet little apple pie life without Castiel, working god knows where. I think with her body she'd be a fantastic porn star…or a stripper." Sam's eyes narrowed, and Grace looked about ready to stab Lucifer, herself.

"But he did, so you're not. Whatever happened to the Sam Winchester who was bold, decisive, and ready to sacrifice for the greater good?"

"Right here."

"And so why did you let Dean talk you out of closing the gates of hell? 'case the old Sam never would have done that, not ever."

"I didn't—"

"No, wait, here's my personal favorite is you doing every stupid thing you could to cure the mark, even after you knew it would go bad. And then to top it off, you had to set not just the darkness free, but little Ava here too?"

"My brother was dying."

"Yes, and you'd do anything to save him, and he'd do anything to save you, and that is the problem. Because of this, you are so overcome by guilt that you can't stand to lose Dean again, and he could never lose you. And so instead of choosing the world, you choose each other, no matter how many innocent people die." Sam's eyes widened, Satan was really lecturing him about his life choices, his hazel eyes drifted to Grace though as the words sunk in.

"You two are so co-dependent on one another that Grace had to die. She had to accept that Dean was the one to kill her, but he had to send you and Castiel off on a wild goose chase to justify his actions, he couldn't bare the thought of anyone else hating him. She had to die to save your asses. Avarin was meant to be kept Safe, she was never meant to be a weapon." Blue eyes drifted to the fallen angel

"You're gonna lecture me about hurting people? You?"

"You know I'm right Sam, you know it. and if I had my way about it, she'd be safe right now, away from you, Away from Dean, and out of reach of Humanity and that idiot, Castiel. I know that if you're going to beat the darkness, you have to be ready to die. You have to be ready to watch the people you love die. A long time ago you could have fought the good fight, kid, but not anymore. You can't win this one, Sam. You're just not strong enough."

"And you are?"

"Hey, snapping necks and cashing checks—that's what I do."

"And why the sudden interest in her?" Sam nodded to his sister, Lucifer turned, a mild look of interest on his face, "She's special, to all of us in heaven. She was the original model for Eve, you know, but god decided to go with model number two, brown eyes, and brown hair, taller. He loved Ava, we all did. She brought a lot of joy to heaven, even after Humanity flourished."

In another second they were all back inside the cage, Lucifer pulled his hand away.

"I know this is a lot to take in, so if you need to take some time and noodle on it, that's cool. But, uh, the world is ending, clock ticking and such, if you follow me." Lucifer chuckled, Grace stared at him, her perspective a bit skewed now, as more memories came flooding back.

"What do you want me to say?"

"A little word, uh, starts with "Y," ends in "E-S" okay you don't like me." Sam was flat out ignoring the fallen angel now, Lucifer sighed, "I get it, I get it. Sometimes I don't like me, either. But Gabriel and Raphael are dead. God went out for a pack of smokes and never came back. And Michael well, let's just say prison life hasn't really agreed with Michael. These days he's usually sitting in a corner, singing show tunes and…touching himself."

Grace was disgusted at that bit of information, she'd gotten flashes of Michael and the angel had always been stern, but kind, in millennia past she enjoyed visiting him almost as much as she'd enjoyed keeping Castiel company.

"That's…gross, I mean considering he's still technically inhabiting Adam…and Adam's my brother too…"

"Yeah, it's not a pretty sight. "

"So you're it?" Lucifer chuckled.

"I'm it! And, hey…I-I'm not the good guy. We—we both know I'm not, but, uh, the darkness? She's the end of everything. But I can beat her. We can beat her."

"Compelling argument, but if you were the only one who could beat her, why am I here now?" Sam looked at Grace who was sitting camper style in another corner of the cell.

"She has a point."

"She's a failsafe. That's her purpose. I'm the only one who knows how to lock the Darkness away. It's you and me. Together. So, come on, Sam. Make the right choice. The big sacrifice one more time, man. Sam." She didn't know what bugger her more, Lucifer's revelations, his shifts in morality, or Sam's uncertainty.

"It's time to save the world, man." There was a long moment of silence, Sam seemed to evaluate his option before he finally responded.

"No. No." Lucifer looked like a snobby, teenage girl being denied a date to prom

"What do you mean, no?"

"You heard him, Lucifer, back down." She was starting to get annoyed by the childish antics

"Okay, now, Sam, I got to tell you, this is selfish, man. Everything that—"

"You are done. It's over, Lucifer." Sam and Lucifer both looked back into glowing blue eyes, Sam found some more courage, pushing himself back to his feet as he got into the ex-angel's face.

"And you know what? You talk a good game. You do. Hell, you almost had me sold a few times, but then I thought, what if you're right? What if you're telling the truth? What—what if you can beat her?"

"I can." Lucifer's voice echoed in the vast space.

"Even though, last time, it took you, her, and three other archangel's. oh, yeah, and capital "G," God." He gestured to Grace who's eyes still glowed brilliantly in the darkness of the area.

"Oh, Okay, what, you mean the deadweight?" Grace let out an almost animalistic growl, "I'm right here, jack ass." Sam kept laying into Lucifer, regardless.

"But let's say you gank her. Then what?"

"I move to L.A, solve crimes."

"Wrong. Then you go about starting the apocalypse again because you're an old dog, and that's your old trick."

"Hey, first off, you don't know that. Second, even if I did, that's better than what she has planned."

"Is it? Really? Because this is what I think. I think whoever wins, you or the darkness, everyone else loses. So, no. my answer is no. This isn't cause of Dean, Or Grace or—or the past. This is about me having faith in my friends, having faith in my family. We will find a way. I'm ready to die. And I'm ready to watch people I love die. But I'm not ready to be your bitch."

Lucifer sighed again, Sam still in his face, staring him down. "Okay. Plan B." then he reeled his fist back and sucker punched Sam.

"NO!" in the distance she could hear Dean.

"Sam?!" there was heavy footfall now as Lucifer flung Sam right into Grace, knocking the wind out of her, her eyes stopped glowing and faded back to normal as she held her head, which had knocked into the metal of the cage.

"Hey, Ass-butt!" She looked through blurry eyes to see Dean and Castiel.

"Dean. Uh, the other one." In another second Dean and Cas were in the cage as well. "Welcome to the party." Dean and Castiel looked between Sam and Grace as the former pulled himself back to his feet.

"Relax, they're fine, little roughed up, but fine." Taking in the looks on their faces, Lucifer's lips drew into a wicked smile.

"Scared?"

"Not even a little." An angel blade dropped down into Castiel's hand, and Lucifer's grin fell " Uh-uh-uh-uh. Moments like this, it's all about ambience." He snapped his fingers and some annoying song began playing from absolutely nowhere. That's when Castiel charged him. Lucifer grabbed him, whispering in his ear.

"C-Cas!" Grace tried calling out to him, but it hurt, everything hurt now.

"I can beat the darkness. Me, only me" Dean was By Sam's side the second Lucifer was distracted.

"Hey."

"Who are these two? They're a couple of apes. And her…well…she's not really important. You know I'm right, Castiel. You know it." Castiel tried to attack him again, but lucifer was still three steps ahead.

"You want to play that way?" Lucifer punched Castiel in the face, drawing blood from the angel's nose.

"We can't win." Grace forced herself to move, struggling to breathe she got to her feet as Lucifer knocked Castiel to the ground before jumping onto the fallen angels back.

"We don't have to win. We just gotta last a few minutes." Dean looked over to see Grace clinging to Lucifer for dear life.

"What is she doing?"

"Buying us time."

"Get off of me! You know I don't like your games!" she was in the air as he threw her against the bars, but Castiel had gotten back to his feet by now and attacked once more, swinging his blade. The fighting continued, but he hesitated when it came to striking Grace once or twice, however in his moments of hesitation she landed some harsh blows, all Lucifer was seeing was the smiling little girl from his past. It wasn't until he had Dean by the neck that he spoke.

"All right, Sam. I'm gonna make this real easy for you. You say the magic word…or your brother dies, and we both know you won't let that happen." Grace watched in shock as Castiel took a moment of distraction to knock lucifer to the floor. Then the two angels were back at it.

"STOP!"

* * *

"So, last words?" what happened next was a blur, there was a huge flash of light and then Lucifer was gone.

They were all finally out of the cage, seriously worse for wear.

"You're welcome. Anyone?"

"Bite me." Dean was tired, and frankly none of them were in the mood to deal with a snarky witch.

"I can make her do that." Crowley muttered, Grace narrowed her eyes, "So, what now?"

"About the Darkness? No clue."

"We'll figure it out."

"Or die screaming." Grace was seriously about ready to feed this woman to her sons hell hounds, she'd been on her nerves since the other day when they'd gotten into this mess.

"This has been a horrible train wreck, so we're done. Team-up over." Sam indicated to Rowena.

"What about her?"

"She stays." The red head looked proud of herself, like one of those prissy poodles from animated movies. "The rest of you lot, get the hell out of hell."

Stepping out of the run down warehouse Grace breathed in the disgusting, smoggy air of wherever they were, and smiled, happy to be topside again. Castiel looked a bit confused though. Dean turned back to look at his friend

"You all right?"

"I think so. I will be." Something was off, Grace couldn't be sure what though.

"Want me to give you a lift?"

"No, you three go on ahead. I'll catch up."

"Okay." Dean walked back toward the impala, tired and obviously sore, leaving Castiel and Grace alone.

"Are you sure, Cas?" his eyes drifted to her face and he smiled, "I'm sure."

"All right, but take care of yourself, okay?" Another, almost smile, "I promise, now go."

"Don't be a stranger, okay? I miss you being at the bunker." He nodded as she climbed into the Impala, with no idea that who she had just spoken to…was really lucifer.

* * *

So. Ch. 9 is done, have to say I kind of enjoyed this one, and I can't wait to delve further into Grace's/Avarin's relationship with Lucifer.

Let me know what you think guys, I love hearing from you. I know in the last chapter I think I left someone pretty well shocked, Which is good, I love keeping people guessing, it's kind of my favorite past-time, all things considered.

There won't be an update next weekend as I am away for Anime detour in Minneapolis from the 5-8th, but I will try and update the following Tuesday instead. Bear with me as I finish up my school year over he next 5 weeks.


	10. Into the Mystic

"Sammy?"

"Hey." Grace watched as he pieced together one of the old hand guns,

"How long have you been up?"

"I don't know." She frowned, stepping further into the small room. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You haven't left the bunker in a few days…" Sam sighed, he sounded annoyed,

"I'm fine, Grace." She frowned,

"Well, Dean thinks he might have found a case…the mans name is Harold Miller, 65. A resident of Oak park, an old folks' home, was found yesterday in his room with his head bashed in. but apparently, the doors were locks and there was no sign of a break in." Sam seemed to ignore her and she sighed.

"I figure it's worth a look…what do you think? Oak Park is only 15 minutes away." He put the gun down, finally, and turned to look at her.

"And what about the darkness? What about Cas? We haven't heard from them." Grace frowned. "First of all, we have nothing on Amara. And Cas—Cas will be fine. He always is."

* * *

"All the parks in the world and I pick the one with the angel in it."

"I saw you. Couldn't believe my eyes."

"Well, believe them. It's beautiful out here, isn't it? It's funny. The things you think you're not gonna miss at all, you end up missing the very, very most."

"enjoy it while you can."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I come in peace, brother."

"I am not you brother, Lucifer." Lucifer just smiled, finally facing the other angel, "Well, I'm not looking for a fight. In fact. I'm your only hope at beating the darkness. I heard you, uh…heard you kids had your big shot at the title, and you missed it." He placed a hand on the offending angels shoulder, "You don't need to be afraid, brother. I am out of that awful, awful cage. And I'm here to save you all." He turned and walked away, back towards the large, Douglas fir, he had been admiring moments before.

"Lucifer ex Machina."

"It cannot be destroyed. But you can be!" Lucifer, in a clearly annoyed state, snapped his fingers and the angel exploded in a rather large splash of blood. Reaching up he non-chalantly rubbed some blood off his face and frowned. "That's the problem with you rank-and-file angels—no vision." He then licked the blood off his fingers and walked back towards the park.

* * *

The three pulled up to the retirement home, Dean parked the car and they climbed out.

"Seriously? This place is an old folks home?"

"Looks awesome." Grace just grinned "Maybe you and Dean can apply here, I mean he is pushing 40, another 20 years and it should feel like home. I bet they even have chocolate pudding." This earned a laugh from Sam, and a disgruntled growl from Dean.

"What about Sam?"

"Nah, Sam actually takes care of himself, though he could stand to ease up on the 5 mile runs, nasty knee arthritis, and all that. Everything in moderation."

"Well, what about you?" Grace quirked her eyebrow, "What about me?"

"Dean, I'm pretty sure she's not going to age anymore." As soon as the words left Sam's mouth that realization dawned on her, she'd stay young while she watched them age, watch them die. Would she stay on earth until that happened? Or would she go back to heaven where she was supposed to be?

"….A reservation." She snapped out of her thoughts as Dean pointed out some early bird special.

"Yeah, we should be so lucky to live long enough." Dean noticed her hesitation, "Hey, you all right?"

"You two go in without me, I think I'm gonna take a walk, clear my head." She smiled, but her eyes would be what betrayed her, if anyone was looking that them.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, Dean. I'm fine, I promise." He just shrugged as he and Sam walked inside.

* * *

Grace walked all the way back to the bunker, her mind felt heavy, she didn't want to watch her brothers grow old, didn't want to see them become senile, forget who she was, she certainly didn't want to watch them die.

"What do I do…it's not like I can talk to him…" pushing open the door she sighed, walking through one of the many corridors towards the kitchen, it wasn't more than an hour or so before Sam and Dean returned. However in that period of time Grace had consumed 12 bottles of beer, 2 bottles of whiskey, and 1 and a half bottles of Jose Cuervo, and she felt like she was flying high.

"Hey, we're back—How?!" Dean noticed all the empty booze bottles and looked at his sister with concern.

"Hey we wondered where you—" Sam trailed off as he came into the briefing room, "Are you okay?" Grace sat with a stupid grin on her face.

"Maybe we should call Cas?"

"Nooooo." She whined, her words were slurred and she looked reminiscent of a five year old, "No Cas."

"All right, no cas." Dean new better now than to force help on Grace, especially with whatever supernatural power-up it was she had gotten when she'd crashed back to earth.

"What the hell happened to you?" Sam had the strangest sense of Déjà vu, as if this had happened before, but he couldn't quite remember when or where.

"You two happened." Her expression was serious now and the brothers shared a look.

"What did we do?" Sam looked confused as he questioned his sister.

"You age." A look of realization dawned on both of their faces as that information sank in.

"Oh…" she frowned. "Dean said something about making a reservation at the nursing home…"

"Grace, that's still years away."

"You don't know that!" Deans eyes widened in shock, "I'm stuck like this for eternity now, I can't die, but you two…you two will continue to age and how long until one of you fucks up and gets killed on a hunt…or by some rogue angel or demon?" with that sad she shoved past the two of them and towards her room.

* * *

Grace heard the door open and close, assuming it was either Sam or Dean she kept herself quiet, Cas had suddenly popped into the bunker out of nowhere and instructed her to stay silent. She could hear her brothers footsteps drawing closer. As the door was kicked in she jumped at the sudden noise.

"Hey! Cas? What the hell are you doing, man?" His eyes trailed to Grace who just shrugged.

"Said he was looking for something."

"Hello, Dean." Something was still off, it seemed like he was Cas, but she wasn't sure, maybe she was just stressed and her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Right, Yeah. We don't hear from you for days, that one get's loaded—" Dean indicated to the blonde sitting in the corner, "then you show up, you start wrecking the joint." Castiel sighed, pulling himself from the chair.

"I'm sorry."

"Okay. W-What are you doing?" Castiel turned to face the siblings. "Well, I'm…looking for a spell, something to draw Amara out, but there's…there's nothing." Dean looked entirely put out now as he closed the drawers that had been torn through.

"I had her in my sights. She was hurt. I should have ended it."

"Like that would have worked…"

"Wait, what?" Dean looked between Grace and Castiel now. "How?"

"Well, I don't know. But there has to be something. And how many more chances are we gonna get?" Cas set the folders back on the work desk.

"Yeah, I know. Saying you're gonna kill is one thing, but…actually doing it's something totally different." Cas looked confused, but Grace smiled, it seemed it had finally sunk in that killing wasn't always the answer.

"What do you mean?"

"I've had two shots at Amara. I struck out both times." Cas shifted and Grace finally set her book down.

"What are you talking about?" He stepped towards Dean, but his posture was off…and Grace couldn't seem to figure out why.

"I don't even know where to start."

"Dean…Tell me everything."

"I tried to kill her."

"Well, the two of you are connected somehow by the mark." Grace watched as Dean pulled a box of weapons off one of the shelves, moving to set it on a nearby table.

"Yeah, no, it's, uh…it's more than that."

"Attraction?" the angel subtly winked at Grace who in turn raised her book a bit higher. When the eldest of the Winchester siblings said nothing Cas frowned.

"Oh, Dean."

"I know. I know. okay? Whatever it is, A…attraction, connection…I gotta tell you, man, it scares me. I don't know that I can stop it. I don't know that I can resist it." Suddenly something hit him square in the head, Grace had thrown her book at him.

"Ow!" she was out of her chair now, a disgusted look on her face.

"You better learn, Dean. We can't always be there to pull your ass out of the fire." Cas looked surprised and inside of the angel's head, Lucifer could see why the rebel angel had taken such a liking to this girl. She had a fiery spirit, one he could really get behind.

"Hey, it scares me, too. But we will find out what this is, I promise. In the end, it may help draw her out. This could be a good thing." Grace smacked the angel upside the head now.

"Don't encourage his bad behavior, I expect stupid crap from him, but don't go encouraging it." Castiel looked bewildered.

"Sorry."

"Fucking right you're sorry." It was that moment Dean's cell began to ring.

"Sam?"

" _Dean, look up Edward Durbin II."_

"Wait, what?"

" _In the Men of Letters files."_ Dean left the room, Grace and Castiel followed, the former in suspicion.

"Oh, son of a bitch. She ain't lying. According to Men of Letters' records, Edward Durbin II was inducted in 1939, part of a small delegation that was sent to Europe."

" _Wow. Yeah, her father had just lost his job. He had a nervous breakdown."_

"So he was vulnerable?"

" _Right. And her mom only knew some basic spells. She used one to banish the banshee, saved Eileen's life. Dean, the Banshee we're hunting is the same one that killed Eileen's parents."_

"Awesome. All right. What's the plan?"

" _Well, we're gonna use the same Celtic spell Eileen used to trap me. When the Banshee comes for Mildred tonight, we trap it."_

"And we hit it with gold." Grace kept an eye on Castiel, she still couldn't put her finger on what seemed off about him.

" _Right."_

"I don't like using Mildred as bait."

" _Are you worried about her? So does this mean she has a shot?"_

"Well, I did always have a thig for Blanche on "Golden Girls.""

" _Seriously?"_

"That's disgusting…but to each their own I suppose." Dean shoo's her away.

"Hey, don't judge what you don't understand, Sammy."

"Who needs to understand that"

"Shut up, Grace."

" _No, I'm—I'm not judging I-I just always had a thing for Sophia."_

"Yeah, I could see that."

" _Look, I don't like using anyone as bait. But this is all we got._ "

"I'm on my way." Dean hung up the phone and turned, "I gotta get back to Sam, you two okay here?" Grace nodded, "By the way. Listen, about what we talked about, let's just keep that between the three of us…till we know more, okay?"

"Dean, that's not—"

"Cas, just…trust me." The angel sighed, he knew dragging this out would only be a hassle. "All right, but the next time you face Amara, you won't be alone."

"Thanks, Cas." E turned and started to walk away but then stopped, "I'm leaving her here with you, just—don't do anything I wouldn't do." Grace frowned but tried to hide a blush that was spreading over her face. With that Dean took the gold blade and left the bunker.

"Oh, this is going to be so much…fun." Castiel turned, a twisted grin on his face.

"Cas?"

"Cas isn't really here, Ava."

"Lucifer…"

"Surprise." He grabbed her by the wrist and then they were gone.

* * *

Sam and Dean got back to the bunker to see the briefing room trashed, the Banshee was gone and the Nursing home was safe for the residents once again.

"Grace?" there was no reply, he motioned for Sam to go one way, and Dean took the other, Dean checked her room, nothing was out of order, and she wasn't in the library.

"Same checked the garage, she sometimes went down there to think but there was no sign of her. When the brother reconvened in the Briefing room there was evidence of fear in their eyes.

"Maybe she just popped out?"

"And left the room like this? Dean, I don't think that she went with whoever took her, willingly."

"I left her with Cas, but he wouldn't hurt her. That nerdy little weirdo loves Grace."

"You don't think…?"

"What? You're gonna have to be a bit more specific, Sammy."

"We never found out if the spell worked, if Lucifer was put back in his cage."

"Well, there haven't been any weird angel things happening, so my bets on that the spell worked. Though, there was something a little off about him."

"Something always seems a little bit off about Cas." No room to argue there, everyone had always said Cas had come off the assembly line with a crack in him.

"Yeah, you know, being so close to Lucifer probably wasn't easy for him, either. We'll just keep an eye on him. You were right, by the way. Getting back on the job, it…it helped."

"Wait, say that again? The—that part about me being right."

"You're an idiot." The two looked around the trashed room once more, "Dean…when Grace and I were with lucifer, he, um…he showed us things. It was like a highlight reel of my biggest failures…but he said something about her."

"He was messing with you that's what he does."

"No, Dean…he said something about her, he defended her. His exact words were, "She was never meant to be a weapon." That she was supposed to be kept safe."

"So, what are you getting at, Sammy? You think he's found a way to drag her to the cage? A way to keep her safe in there?"

"No, but maybe one of the other angels? He also said if he had it his way she'd be safe right now, away from us, away from Cas."

"Well, he didn't get it his way, but my vote is on another angel, and I'd bet Cas is out there kicking ass to get her back. So I wouldn't worry."

* * *

"Ah, pretty little Ava. I've missed you the most." Blue eyes stared out in terror at her captor, this was no longer Castiel.

"I hope you're comfortable, because you'll be here for quite a while. As my own personal play thing." Her hands and feet were shackled to the cage she was now locked in, a cloth gag prevented her from doing much else but screaming.

"I really have missed you, and now we can spend all of our free time catching up." The last thing she saw was Castiel's vessel's sinister smile as the lights were turned off and she was left alone in the dark.

* * *

Sorry this chapter is so short, my brain is fried with finals coming up in 2 ½ weeks, but I'm trying. I really am! So please continue to bare with me. I'm also dealing with con Plague (AKA Con sickness.) I had far too much fun, and am already planning for next year.

But enough of my rambling, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I hope you review, tell me things you liked, things you didn't like, what should I do more, or less of. Let me know!


	11. The vessel

"Missing? Wat do you mean she's missing?" needless to say the brothers had been shocked Cas didn't already know, Dean had figured since they two were some kind of freaky version of mated, the angel would have some kind of connection to their sister.

"I mean she's gone, Cas. Into thin air. Poof." The angel narrowed his eyes,

"People don't just "Vanish" Dean." He had obviously gotten better at the air quotes over the last few years.

"Yeah, well, the briefing room was trashed, so either something spooked her, or she was taken." Castiel turned his gaze to Sam, Lucifer had to maintain his cover so he kept his/Castiel's face stoic, but he knew where grace really was, but knew if he told them these two buffoon's would ruin his fun before it really had a chance to begin.

"You should have seen the room, books were thrown every which way, papers scattered the floor, place was trashed, man. Pain in the ass to clean up." Dean mumbled, sitting at the table.

"I'm certain she'll turn up." Sam and Dean both looked uncertain.

"Lucifer is caged." Ha, that's what they thought, Lucifer was standing right in front of them, wearing their friend, and his prisoner's mate as a meat puppet. "The only beings strong enough to beat Amara are gone. If we're gonna fight her, we need to arm up."

"You two keep looking see what you can come up with, I'll see what I can find out over angel radio, see if anyone has seen her."

"Thanks, Cas. Let us know if you find anything."

"I will." And with that he was gone.

* * *

*A week later*

Grace had been in lockdown for a week and a half, with no way to reach her brothers and Lucifer keeping a close eye on her, there was no sign of an escape. At least she no longer had to eat, if that were the case she'd have been close to death by now.

"Ah, how's my little Ava doing today?" she could hear him, but could see nothing, his twisted idea of fun was keeping her blindfolded and gagged.

"Oh, right…" he snapped his fingers and the gag vanished, but the blindfold remained.

"Why are you doing this, Lucifer?" the angel before her smirked, it was still unbefitting of his shared vessel.

"The reason? I thought I'd made that clear. You need to be kept away from Human's, Avarin, away from those idiots you were forced to call your brothers. I'm closer to being your actual brother than they are." Grace scoffed, he was joking, right?

"You? You think we're close enough to be called siblings? You have me locked in a cage, in hell. Oh, but you know if you let me out I'd kick your feathery ass back to the cage it belongs in. that's it, isn't it? You're afraid of me." The cage rattled as Lucifer kicked it.

"I think I liked you better with the gag in." she could hear the clanging of fingers over the metal bars.

"Hey, I get it. Id fear me, too. After all I was made from both God and Amara, and I'd hate to be you when they find out." She was bluffing, wasn't she? Hard to tell when half of her expression was covered.

"I don't fear you, Ava. I pity you. Or at least I did, until you opened your mouth." With that he shoved the cage over sideways, her head knocking against the metal bars, her arms and legs now bent in uncomfortable positions. With another snap of his finger the gag was replaced, the lights turned off and she was left alone, and in pain.

* * *

Lucifer headed back towards the throne room, where a crowd of demons had occupied the space.

"Sir, we have news on Amara. The update is…well, that there is no update. We still haven't found her."

"Sir, if I may…since you've claimed the throne, we could use some direction. Any direction. We could deploy a force. Real boots on the ground, shake the trees to find her. W-with you leading the charge, of course." Lucifer already looked bored of the woman's speech, pulling out a tablet to resume a game of 'Angry birds'. "We have had a coward and a fool at the helm for too long. Perhaps it's time to…" He finally shushed the woman as a groan came from the cage in the corner.

"Shh, doggie wants to speak." The wrought iron door slid upwards and something slid out, revealing Crowley. The gag was removed and the former king spoke.

"How dare you. The impudence. The lack of humility. That's no way to talk to your master…" Crowley turned his head to look at the true sovereign of hell.

"Lucifer."

"That's a good doggie. Too bad you're not both good doggies." Crowley was left to wonder what this meant s he was put back in his "Kennel".

* * *

"Who knew the men of letters had European chapters?"

"Maybe it wasn't an entire chapter." The boys were digging though old archive books. "Just some assets, you know?" Sam opened a dusty, leather bound book, flipping through pages.

"Yeah, and letting women join way back in the '40s? I just never got the impression that they were so big on gender equality. You know, it's right there in the name." Dean flinched, waiting for a book to be thrown, but it never came, he had momentarily forgotten their sister was no longer in the vicinity.

"Well, it was world war II, kind of an All-hands-on-deck situation, you know?"

"Yeah, Rosie the riveter. Hmm. Cool."

"Here ya go. This report was written by Clifford Henshaw, a Bunker-based Man of Letters, back in 1943. It's the right era." Sam thudded the book down on the table. "But it's in French." Dean tilted his head as Sam scooped the book up and went to scan it into his computer for translating.

* * *

"Well?"

"Hey. So it's definitely about Delphine. Her name's at the top of every page. And check this out." He slid the pages towards Dean. "They're transcriptions from transatlantic cables between Clifford and Delphine."

"What do they say?"

"Uh, give me a second. Web translation's kind of buggy." Dean took another swig of his beer, Sam looked unimpressed, "Seriously? Dude, it's, like, noon."

"Uh, well, you drank all the coffee, s what am I supposed to drink? water?" Sam scoffed at his brother's stupidity.

"Look at this. They were making arrangements to get the artifact out of Europe to keep it safe. Uh, Henshaw pulled some strings with a Man of Letters in the O.S.S to requisition an active U.S submarine to transport Delphine and the weapons back to the states. Back to here."

"Wait, the bunker?"

"Yeah." Sam kept reading the letter on his screen

"So, it's been here the whole time?" there was no way it would have been that easy

"Uh…" He did another small search and the results were what neither of them wanted. "No, never arrived. Uh, the U.S.S. Bluefin came under German attack midway through it's trip across the Atlantic. The sub was sunk. The ship and its contents haven't been recovered to this day." Another dead end, Sam sighed, running a hand down his face.

"Great, it's lost."

"Or is it?" whatever gears were turning in Deans head, Sam was not picking up on, "Well, yeah, I'd say so. I mean, tides took the wreckage. Submersibles have been trying to locate it for years. I mean, if James Cameron and his "Avatar" billions can't find it…"

"Yeah, but…we have something James Cameron doesn't have."

* * *

Doors rattled as two demons revealed a large cart full of medieval style weaponry, a female, unknown in name, pushed the cart into the room. Crowley was shackled at Castiel/Lucifer's feet, as the fallen angel stood to inspect his new toys.

"I don't see her, I specifically told you to bring the girl, as well." Another trolley was brought in, A sheet draped over the cage to hide who was inside, but this did not stop Crowley from watching as it was brought in.

"Ah, both of my doggies in one place." A weapon was handed to lucifer who sighed.

"That's all of it?"

"Yes, sir. The requested weaponry from your crypts. Does it…please you?" Lucifer looked highly unimpressed as he turned.

"Spare me." As he stepped towards Crowley, he dismissed the demons. "How are your wounds, doggie?"

"They are…no less than I deserve." Lucifer reached down to scratch Crowley's head, similar to how humans would scratch behind a dog's ears.

"Aww." He chuckled you're scared of your master, much like my other new pet. That's a good doggie." Crowley once again looked to the covered cage.

"Ah, you know my other little doggie, quite well actually." Lucifer moved to pull the sheet off of Graces cage, Crowley's face went from curious to almost horrified.

"She's been a bad doggie, too. See, I broke you, but, um…I can still smell it on her, she's got a delectable little whiff of defiance in her, still." Lucifer rattled her cage, eliciting a muffled scream from the grimy, filthy girl as her body shook, jerking her bruised wrists and ankles about.

"What should I take first? An Ear? Or maybe some of her pretty, pretty hair."

"The truth, Sir. You're not strong enough, You've had your weapons delivered, you realize they won't be enough. If you thought you could beat Amara, you'd be taking the fight to her, right now." Crowley's eyes drifted back to Grace "And honestly, I don't care what happens to her."

"Aw, my doggies don't get along, what a shame. But you're a clever doggie. You're right. at the moment, I-I may be a bit underequipped. Maybe defeating Amara was a bit more of a team effort than I led certain people to believe. You know, all that said…I'm still your master. Did I let you out of that kennel too soon?"

"No." The ringing of a cell phone distracted lucifer long enough for Crowley to get another look at the girl, his previous thought stood, the blonde looked like hell warmed over, which was ironic, given their current location, she was somehow thinner, which he didn't know was possible for someone like her, her hair fell in greasy ringlets around her face, draped over her shoulders in a mop. her skin was grubby and sallow.

As lucifer retracted the cell phone from the trench coat he looked between the two, "No barking. It's show time." Lucifer walked back to the throne, taking his usual, self-promoting position before answering the phone.

"Hello, Dean."

* * *

"There were several God-Touched objects, but it never occurred to me that any had survived the flood, let alone the 20th century." Cas turned, arms crossed over his chest as he contemplated this new news.

"Do you think we can use it against Amara?"

"It's perfect." Sam's inquiry didn't fall on completely deaf ears, " I can get you back there." Dean looked both impressed and confused, as the angel carried on.

"Without wings? Cas, you can't even teleport."

"Time travel is a…it's a whole different system." Dean snapped his fingers from accorss the table.

"See, told ya."

"So, uh, these the last coordinates?" Cas flipped through the print out, "That's the Bluefin's last transmission to shore, yeah."

"All right."

"Wait a second. Cas, aren't there still risks with time travel? I mean, aren't there consequences that—" Dean cut his little brother off, he could see the angel was getting annoyed.

"Sam…this is the ideal scenario."

"What?"

"That sub is a tin can floating in the middle of the ocean, doomed to go down. You can't really mess with history at 20,000 leagues. So we get in, get the weapon, we get out. It's a milk run."

"Well, t-that's not a-a very good plan."

"Well, if things get out of hand, then Cas'll just zap me right back." Sam seemed fine with it until the last word.

"You?"

"You're not going." Dean flashed the "End-of-discussion" look at his younger brother who was having absolutely none of it.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You need to stay here."

"Stay here?"

"Just in case things go sideways. We also both know someone needs to be here incase Grace somehow resurfaces. So yeah, you're staying here. We can't risk us both, and at the moment, I'm the least valuable player. You both know that I can't kill Amara, so the east I could do is get the thing that we need so you can."

"So you expect me to sit here and ride the pine, waiting for Grace who may or may not have been kidnapped, while you and Cas go play Jules Verne?" Sam was growing tired of his brothers selfishness, always being left on the backburner incase he fucked up somehow.

"Yes. No. uh, who?"

"I won't let him out of my sight." Sam sighed, looking between the two incredulously.

"If you'd kept Grace in your sight maybe she wouldn't be missing now. You'll stay by his side the entire time?" that was a low blow, even for him, if only he knew the truth, it would really make Sam Winchester's skin crawl with disgust.

"Sam." Castiel feigned hurt as Dean scolded his brother but put on a face of resolve. "I will."

"Sam…let me do this. Okay? I need to do this." They both knew Team free will needed a win right now.

"Be safe."

"When am I not?" Sam rolled his eyes as Dean stood.

"Let's do this, Cas." He looked around for a few seconds, "Bon voyage." In the next second he was on the Bluefin.

* * *

"Cas?" Why are you…wait a second. Where's dean?"

"We made the leap. He got on, I didn't." The poor angel was soaked through, looked kind of like one of the sopping wet cartoon cats, the ones form the old MGM animations.

"What?"

"I couldn't make it past the hull. Someone must have warded the ship." Cas headed for the briefing room his trench coat in his arms, finally he tossed it onto one of the chairs, hastily along with his shoes.

"Delphine? I mean it has to be. I mean, she's protecting the weapon, right?" The angel appeared to be ignoring Sam,

"Cas? Just go back to their last port before she boarded, leave a message so Dean knows."

"Where?" blue eyes met green, "Where would Dean see it that the crew wouldn't? He's as likely to find the warding as he is any message I'd leave."

"Then send me. You got Dean past the hull."

"Right. We'll double-down on what screwed us the first time. You're really bringing your "A" ideas today." Castiel took a seat, the towel gripped tightly in calloused hands, "I can't believe I lost it." Sam looked confused.

"Him. Mm. Can't believe I lost Dean. Well, it's up to him now to find and clear the warding."

"No. we can help. There's gotta be something in—in—in magic or angel lore." Castiel just looked tired, mainly of Sam's annoying tone and perseverance to help his idiot older brother. It was almost as useless as their shared effort to find Grace.

"You know, some way to clear the sigils from the outside. Cas…" Sam had another one of the archives old, dusty book in his grasp as the angel ran a hand over his face.

"Don't worry, we'll bring him back." Lucifer looked over all unimpressed, but he had to keep the 'Castiel' façade up until he got what he wanted.

The two flipped through book after book, "Wait a second, I think I have something. "The spell of gathering." It's an incantation used to "Focus the power of celestial beings"—angel's— "Against all drawn forms of evasion." The spell was designed to clear all mystical or occult blockages. I mean, this is highly theoretical magic. It's never been used before, but it sounds like it could work."

"Do you have the ingredients?"

"Uh…" Sam muttered off the ingredient list to himself before sighing, slouching back in his chair. "All but one. That's why it's never been used before. It requires the power of an archangel."

"Well, Sam, we may as well try." Sam scoffed, "We don't have time for long shots, Cas. Even at full power, you're not strong enough." As Sam stood and walked off, Castiel grabbed the book and flipped it open again.

* * *

"Hey. Cas, what is this?" the angel was throwing ingredients into a metal mixing bowl, "It's your spell of gathering."

"Are you nuts?" another clank of something falling into the bowl. "you're not strong enough, Cas. You could get hurt."

"You find a better option?"

"Well…no, but without a serious boost to your angel power, that spell won't even work."

"My strength may surprise you." Castiel continued chopping ingredients as Sam looked around, "Wait a second. I remember Bobby told me, when you needed strength to retrieve us from the past, you used him to power up. You—You touched his soul. Right?"

"That's right. I did that. But that—that, uh, procedure it can be fatal."

"Use my soul." There was no way he was letting up, Sam felt like he had to do this. "That way maybe you'll have enough power to wield the spell."

"That isn't necessary."

"It's worth the risk. Cas, Dean needs our help. Grace is a high priority too, but we need to get Dean back first. I trust you." And the facade broke, Castiel broke into laughter.

"What?"

"Oh, it's ju—I don't—I don't need you anymore. I mean, Deans the one with the link to Amara, and as far as power sources go, I have Grace. Why have I been trying to spare you? I mean, maybe it's because you're like the girl who kept turning me down at the prom." Lucifer had finally come to the surface, grabbing Sam by the shit and tossing him around.

"I will touch your soul, just because you asked so nicely. And I'll use your spell to blast through the warding and retrieve Dean and the, uh…Hand of God. And then when Dean comes back and he finds this place decorated with your guts, I will tell him the truth, Sam. I'll just say "Dean"—" he paused for a second, dropping his voice back to match Castiel's "Dean…he knew the risks. He wouldn't take no for an answer"

"Lucifer." The angel almost looked on the verge of tears.

"In the flesh." Then he pushed his hand inside Sam's chest. "I'll be sure to tell little Ava her big brother says hello." Sam fell, unconscious, to the floor s Lucifer struggled to keep control over his shared vessel.

"Hello, Castiel." Castiel fell to the floor.

"No, No." thinkig it was lucifer he stayed still. "Sam. Sam, its me."

"Cas? Why?" Sam groaned in pain, Lucifer wasn't wrong, having his soul touched hurt like…well, hell.

"I wanted to be of service to the fight. And only Lucifer can beat her."

"You chose this? You have to fight, Cas. Eject him now!"

"I can't. It's taking all my strength to keep him from killing you. And, he has Grace, he took her to hell. I'm doing my best to make sure he doesn't cause her serious harm, and besides, we need him."

"No, Cas, we don't." there was a small hint of relief in Sam's eyes at Castiel's news, at least he knew where she was, and that Castiel was not going to let any serious harm come to her. It was good news he could give to Dean.

"We'll find another way to stop Amara." Cas continued to struggle.

"We need him to save Dean."

"You can't time Travel." Th angel shook his head.

"Only lucifer can." Then for an instance Lucifer was gone and back again, with Dean beside him.

"Dean. That's not Cas." Lucifer looked like a kid, caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "Cat's out." Then he threw Dean over the table where he rolled to the floor.

"Mm! I feel a burden lifted. You know, this whole "Deep cover" thing, it just wasn't—it wasn't terribly well thought out. Donning this…this Cas mask. This grim face of angelic constipation just ugh. And don't even get me started on Ava, do you know how hard keeping that secret was? And let it be no secret, kidnapping that one was no piece of cake. Even wearing her mate's skin." Dean looked to Sam for validation who was drawing a knife from his belt.

"And then teaming up with you two? I mean…I thought you boys were insufferable as mortal enemies. But working with you? Ugh. that's the soul crusher." Dean had gotten back to his feet, a dangerous look in his eyes. Lucifer took this chance to pin him to the wall with his grace.

"Why the long faces, boys? You should be cheering. We have a common enemy. With this, she will be no problem. I mean…I will have killed you both by then, Ava will be free of her duty to you two imbeciles by then, but still…come on."

"What do you even know about her anyways? You think she serves us?" Dean was trying to buy time.

"That's certainly the way it seems, she's always pulling your asses out of the fire."

"Grace doesn't serve us, she's our sister."

"mm, no, she's really not." Lucifer now looked like a parent, scolding a child. "Didn't I tell you before, she was never meant to be here in the first place? Ava isn't human, now I have her, in a place where filth like yourselves can't touch her, and you want me to give her back? All because of some fake ties. I don't think so!" he unwrapped the artifact.

"No. No!" however, nothing happened when he touched it. Lucifer looked absolutely pissed.

"It's kicked." He exhaled letting out a breath he didn't know he was even holding, Dean sighed with relief from across the room "Well…who'd have thought the hand of god would turn out to be a one-hitter?" The angel tossed the useless artifact onto the table with a loud thud and advanced on the eldest sibling, anger evident on his face. That's when Sam tapped the sigil, blasting Lucifer way, even if only temporarily.

* * *

The brothers sat on an old, dilapidated dock, fog rolled over the waters surface.

"So…"  
"So…" the two brothers shared an uncomfortable silence.

"Cas." There was a solemnness to Dean's voice as he stared out of the quiet, almost unforgiving surface "He took her, Sam."

"I know. I mean, we at least know where she is now. What do we do?"

"What else? We hunt Lucifer, trap the bastard, save Cas, and we get her back. Real sister or not, we can't lose her." Lucifer's words were really starting to sink in.

"Hey, despite what he says, Grace is our real sister, we have all these memories of us growing up, trips on the road with Dad, you can't fabricate memories like that. Lucifer may be in control now, but Cas may not come back willingly. I mean, he chose it."

"No. not possible. He wouldn't do that, not to her. Like I said, that nerdy little angel loves her." Sam sighed, there as no getting through to Dean, not right now.

"So, how'd you get through today? I mean, what did you do?"

"Nothing. Sam, they…I was just a witness."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Dean thought about for a few, hard seconds, before shaking his head.

"No. No. story for another day."

"Hey, the, uh…the German ship that sank the Bluefin, what happened to it?" Sam looked perplexed at the sudden, strange question.

"It went down. Unlike the sub, it's wreckage was found. Um, there was a giant hole that'd been ripped rough the entire thing. Something must have hit the fuel tanks and exploded. But it burned. Sank." That's when Sam walked off, Leaving Dean, artifact in hand, staring out at the still unforgiving water before him. His mind set on getting Cas and Grace back where they belonged.

* * *

A/N: So, I'm going to be honest with you all, I am losing motivation to post this story because the only reviews I am getting are little emoticons, or things like "Nice chap." PLEASE tell me your thoughts and feelings, they keep me motivated. I do not write only to be met with things like; :0 or :D or this :))). Please do not leave these kinds of reviews on my work, I'm not saying they are not appreciated, they are nice, but I want to hear from you, that's why I continue this story, that's why I write. I want to know what makes you mad, what I can improve on, what things you as my readers would love to see more/less of. it hurts me to only get those emoticons, makes me feel like i'm a bad writer. I do not want flame reviews though, I don't condone hate reviews either, only constructive criticism. I am pleading with you guys, help me keep this story going by telling me things! I love you guys!


	12. Hell's Angel

Crowley had escaped from Lucifers imprisonment, but Grace remained, it had been roughly a month or so, who knew, since he'd taken her from the bunker. She knew Crowley was likely working with her brothers and had informed them of where she was being kept, then again, nothing was ever sure fire with the former king of hell.

"Wake up, puppy…we need to get you cleaned up. We're taking a little road trip." Grace followed the sound of Lucifer's voice as the sound of her cage door opening echoed in the room. She kept herself pressed against the back.

"Hey, it's all right, no tricks this time. We want to look our best for when we go home, don't we?" she felt the sensation of cloth running over her skin as light flooded her vision.

"We'll leave the gag on, for now, but lets undo these restraints." The sudden release of weigh made her suspicious as she drew rubbed her now free wrists. Lucifer finally removed the gag.

"Speak." Grace however refused, her throat was sore and dry, she knew she was dehydrated.

"Come on, Ava, talk to me." He sounded like a whiney child, she rolled her eyes, "Shower…" her voice was hoarse, but filled with disgust and repulsion, Lucifer was still wearing her mate as a meat suit.

"As you wish, princess." She wrinkled her nose at the nickname as he finally unshackled her ankles, pulling her out onto the concrete floor. Pushing herself up, she felt unsteady, having not done much walking in the last month of captivity.

"Easy there, Ava." She turned, with a dark expression, to face the fallen angel who in turn held up his hands in surrender as the grimy, dirt covered entity before him walked, stopping now and then to lean on the wall. She's swat his hands away when he tried to help.

"Don't…Don't act like…you care." She muttered as she kept walking. "second door on the left. No funny business." She rolled her eyes again and walked into the room, making sure to lock the door behind her.

Stripping down and turned the water on, feeling the tepid water before stepping into the shower cubicle, watching the crystal clear water mix with all the dirt running off her skin, the water in the tub below already a murky, muddy brown color. Grabbing a small bottle, which she assumed was a play on the little hotel shampoos, she squirted the liquid substance into her hand and began lathering her hair, letting it sit for a few minutes before rinsing and repeating with the conditioner.

Once she had sufficiently scrubbed her skin and climbed out, shivering at the sudden onslaught of cold air, she looked at the sink, noticing a towel and a clean change of clothes. Picking up the dress she frowned.

"Is this a joke? What kind of bullshit, Hollywood cliché does he think he's trying to pull."

"The kind where you look like who you're supposed to be." She shrieked as Lucifer suddenly popped into the room.

"And just who exactly am I supposed to be?"

"You know, I liked it better when you couldn't talk back."

"Answer the question, Lucifer."

"You, sweet little Avarin, are Gods daughter, the third oldest being in the universe, and you need to quit playing at being one of those insolent little worms. You are not human, you were never human, and you will never be human. Stop lying to yourself. Now, get dressed."

"And if I refuse?" a sinister smile found its way onto lucifer's face, "Then I'll dress you myself." She refused to move, staring the fallen angel down.

"Fine, you want to do this the hard way? More fun for me." With a snap of his fingers the towel she had been wrapped in vanished and she was left naked in front of the true king of hell.

"Now, are you going to get dressed, or am I going to do it for you?"

"Fuck you."

"I might, later. But right now we have more important things to do. Now get dressed."

"Get out. I'm not getting dressed with you in here."

"You're already naked, Avarin, I've seen it all and so has little Cassie."

"I won't tell you again, Get. Out." The fallen angel finally relented and left and she stared at the white dress before her, it was simple, yet somehow elegant. Sighing as she slipped the dress on, it was an off the shoulder neckline with flowy, pagoda style sleeves with gold embroidery around the bottom hem, the bottom hem was flowy and loose, stopping just above her knee, she then looked at the shoes.

"Oh…chuck…" there, in front of her was a pair of gladiator sandals, but more modernized to fit the current era. As soon as she was dressed she looked at her hair and decided to just leave it to curl naturally before going to find the awaiting pest.

* * *

They had been on some playground, and now they were standing in a very mundane, looking hallway in heaven, as Lucifer watched some button pushing worker bee angel do his job, checking the security of each individual door. The angel finally took notice of their presence and stopped his menial task to glare at the fallen angel.

"Lucifer." He then took notice of Grace. "Jofiel. How's it hanging?" Jofiel looked around, searching for anyone as back up.

"Easy, there."

"So perfect. Castiel, one of heavens most wanted, possessed by heavens most hated."

"I come in peace, I just want to be a part of the action again, and I bring a gift." Lucifer nodded his head to the blonde standing awkwardly to the right of him. Jofiel looked her over.

"I know you…" Grace said nothing, trying to rack her brain for who this angel was, but she could recall.

"She's kind of a long story. Jofiel, Avarin. Avarin, Jofiel." The angel dawned a sudden look of realization.

"Avarin…I remember you now." His attention returned to Lucifer, "How did you come to possess her?"

"Well, with this body it certainly wasn't difficult. But enough of about her, I'm here to lend a hand." Jofiel hesitated for a second before turning and calling out for help.

"Brothers!" in the next second Lucifer snapped his fingers and Jofiel exploded in a cloud of grace and smoke. Blowing some of the smoke away he advanced down the hallway, pulling Grace with him.

"Walk."

"Was it really necessary to blow him up?"

"If it bugs you so much, bring him back. Just like good old dad, you can make angels."

"Yeah, like it's that easy, I might be a few millennia old or whatever but that doesn't mean I can just snap my fingers and bring someone back from the dead like it's no big deal, you destroyed him." Lucifer chuckled.

"You're not getting this sweetheart. That's exactly what you can do. You're a demi-god, you have abilities even angels can't comprehend. Sure, we can pull souls out of hell, and perform miracles that would make modern human medicine seem elementary and childish, but you, oh ho ho, you can do so much more, Avarin. You just don't see it yet."

* * *

Lucifer had led her into a briefing room, filled with angels she couldn't put names to, all sitting around tables or leaning against walls, watching in fear and anticipation.

"Okay, Guys. So, trying to smite the darkness was a bust, huh? You had all of the power of heaven behind you. Couldn't even slow the bitch down." He leaned over the table to address everyone in the room, Grace stood awkwardly by the door, ready to run if given the chance. As Lucifer pulled back to pace the room, he winked at her.

"Well, no need to feel like abject losers. You learned a valuable lesson here. You need me…and her." He nodded his head to the awkward blonde in the corner. Silence filled the room as everyone eyed the insane, archangel but stayed silent.

"All right. Not giddy with awe. I thought there'd be a little excitement with the return of dad's replacement." A few murmurs now, he knew that would spark interest.

"I assumed you'd all remember her, she was such a cute little monster…spent years trapped on earth, no memories, no powers, just a pathetic little life as a false human. Hidden from us, but never far away."

"You…exploded Jofiel."

"Or did Jofiel explode himself?" Lucifer retaliated to one of the angels' comments. There was a look of incredulity as Lucifer shrugged.

"Just sayin'."

"God cast you out of heaven, and as for her, none of us remember her, so how do we know you're not lying."

"Well, for starters Humans can't come into heaven while they are still alive, and secondly, who do you think spread that tabloid headline?" Lucifer went to sit on the edge of the table.

"It was captain G, the Eternal one. And why? Because I didn't buy in to his obsessive-compulsive love for mankind.'

"Mankind is his creation." One of the latter seraphs chimed in again

"Oh, come on! It's not like he invented the Prius," Grace momentarily wondered what a car had to do with this situation, not to mention, if Her father had created mankind, and mankind had created automobiles…technically he had invented the Prius…

"Which actually works. I don't have to tell you people what a mess Mankind is. The Salem Witch Trials…Third Reich…twin towers. And, sure, every once in a while, he'll send down a little plague to straighten them out…the flood, courtesy of our own little Princess Peach." Did he seriously just make a Mario reference…Grace was beginning to wonder how the hell he even knew about half this crap.

"but it's never permanent. Humanity brought us Hiroshima and got a redo. I merely questioned his priorities, and I got the boot."

"He said you're evil." There was an awkward, deathly silence in the room now, until another angel piped up.

"Incarnate. E-Evil incarnate." Lucifer wore a frenzied smile "It's marketing. He's creating a need in the consumer's mind. Can't be a super savior if you don't have a super villain."

"So, what are you offering?"

"Well, a way out of this pickle."

"By "Pickle," you mean the Darkness."

"You can reason with her?"

"Well…I doubt that. But I can lock her away. This time for good. Done it before." There was a stifling amount of hesitance in the room now, Grace continued slowly inching towards the door.

"Oh, pops didn't tell you that, huh?"

"Once you've…gotten rid of her, you'll want…to…stay around?" the angel sounded nervous as Lucifer glanced at him, smile painted on his face.

"Oh, I like the way you think. Man, am I jazzed! Hey. If it makes you comfy could call me god." Angels lined up, having made up their minds and in the now, budding chaos, grace slipped out the door before Lucifer could see her, sprinting down the hallway, trying to find the way they came in, the way back to the portal.

The lights flashed and the ground shook, knocking her down as she ran, the sudden shockwave was bound to draw attention to her absence.

"Dammit!" looking ahead, down the long corridor she noticed a dark smoked barreling towards her and shut her eyes, curling in on herself as screams echoed in the distance from where she'd come from. Darkness washed over her and an unsettling, unfamiliar, un-nameable feeling washed over her as the cloud kept travelling at high velocity through heaven. When it finally stopped all she could hear was ringing. Pulling herself forcefully back to her feet she tried her best to get back to the portal.

* * *

She was suddenly back in the park, a little worse for wear with a scraped up knee and a lovely amount of swelling in her wrist from a rough landing, but regardless of sustained injuries to her body she had to get to Sam and Dean.

"Only one problem with that plan, I have no cell phone…" she groaned, knowing she'd have to wander through town to find a payphone or a place that would let her use theirs.

After about 30 minutes of walking she finally stepped into a small little bakery off the main road that had let her borrow their landline. After a few rings someone finally answered.

"Dean?"

" _Grace? How did…how did you get away from Lucifer?"_ She could hear Sam in the background,

" _Grace, are you all right? He didn't hurt you, did he?"_ the blonde smiled,

"Always the concerned one, Sammy. I'm fine, but where are you guys?" Sam and Dean gave their location, and she wrote down the address, promising to be there as soon as she was able before hanging up the phone.

"Thank you, very much, sir."

* * *

"I hate this." She could hear Sam's voice as she pushed the church doors open, stepping in quietly.

"Yeah. Well, Grace should be on her way."

"Speaking of people who should be here, where the hell is Crowley? I mean, we're essentially all set up."

"Yeah, I mean, he's the one that boxed us into doing this. You think he'd have the decency to—" The faint sound of bare feet caught Deans attention, Grace had ditched her shoes somewhere along the walk int town, she was never one for heels to begin with, but the poor woman screamed when she suddenly heard the cocking of a gun.

"Dean, it's me!" It took a few seconds for dean to process before he dropped the gun to his side and pulled her into a tight hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Thank god. How'd you escape?" Sam pulled her in as soon as Dean relented his grip, "I think it was Amara, I took the opportunity while Lucifer was distracted with the other angels to slip out the door, but then there was this black fog."

"That's rather impressive, one of you Winchester's has a brain. It's just ironic it's the blonde one." Race turned her attention to Rowena,

"You know, I'd be offended, but at least I have a soul." Rowena plastered on a false smile, "Oh, that's charming. You're a beauty, but it's a shame you're so crass. Must be all the male testosterone." Graces eye twitched, "You know what, as much as I'd love to it here and bicker with a 300 year old hag…I think we have bigger fish to fry, where is Crowley?"

"I'm here. Because without the bait, well…a trap really isn't a trap, is it?" Sam scoffed, "That's it? Doesn't look like much, does it?" Grace looked at the item as Crowley finally noticed her.

"Hello, Kitten."

"The Horn of Joshua…I remember this. When the Prophet, Joshua, sent spies to Jericho, the first city of Canaan to be taken, and discovered that the land was in fear of Israel and their God. ... On the seventh day they marched seven times around the walls, then the priests blew their ram's horns, the Israelites raised a great shout, and the walls of the city fell."

"I once thought you as dull and plodding." Sam looked both surprised and confused, "Oh, never mind. Bad analogy."

"For the record, we still think this is a bad idea. We should be using Lucifer, not icing him."

"You're planning to Ice Lucifer? That's is a terrible plan…"

"I'm aware. So I'll be standing right here should you hesitate. The hand that giveth can so quickly taketh away." Dean shook his head at Crowley.

"Yes, we getteth it." Dean muttered, going back to setting up their devil's trap.

"So, mummy, you were telling us your fascinating tale of resurrection, but you never did say exactly where you'd been this whole time."

"Same as you, Fergus, hiding. Once the Dark Prince knew I was alive, I wouldn't be."

"No mucking about like last time." Grace looked around entirely confused. "Family quarrel?" Rowena looked offended.

"The warding and the holy fire won't keep and archangel but for a moment. If he shows up at all."

"Oh…he'll show, once he realizes I'm missing."

"He's too hungry to take Amara out, as well. Now we've got the blaster to do it" Dean lit a match ad tossed it into the mortar.

" _In nominee magni dei nostril satanas, introibo ad altare domini inferi._ " Nothing happened as the group looked at the Devils trap.

"I summon you to make an offer. The weapon by which it's bearer can crush the Darkness forever." Thunder cracked around the room as Dean finished the incantation. And suddenly, Lucifer was in the circle.

"Sam, Now!" Sam dropped a lit book of matches onto the circle, igniting the holy oil, trapping the archangel, even if only temporarily.

"I'm sorry. Your prayer implied that I'd be…joining the team, but I'm just not feeling the warm and fuzzy here." His eyes drifted to Grace.

"Ah, so you did run away. I'm disappointed, Ava. I really thought we were starting to bond."

"Yeah, well…being on lockdown while you tortured me, relentlessly, for a month…not my idea of bonding, Lucifer." Sam and Dean looked shocked and slightly taken a back at the news. Lucifer's eyes trailed around, finally landing on the Horn of Joshua.

"Wow. There it is. Powered up by dad himself. Well, that bad boy plus me—that ought to take her out all right." Lucifer clapped his hands together, creating friction between his palms in anticipation.

"Let's get to it. Douse the flames." No one made a movement to do so…"Or don't." Dean sliced the palm of his hand and slammed it against a symbol, trying to draw cas out to talk to him.

"Cas? Castiel, show yourself!" it appears to have worked, but there was no telling for how long.

"Dean?"

"Cas?"

"What are you doing? What's—what's going on?"

"Cas, listen to me. We don't have a whole lot of time, okay? You've got to—Cas?" A power struggle began between the two angels inhabiting Castiel's vessel. Grace stepped forward.

"Castiel?" Graces voice was barely above a whisper as she stared at her mate's vessel, there was sudden laughter. "Oh-hoo-hoo-hoo! Whoo. He's got to what?" Lucifer had regained control. "You boys—ooh, you almost had me there for a minute, but these mail-order spells—they're just not what they're cracked up to be, are they?"

"Cas, expel him! You gotta kick lucifer out. Do you hear me?!"

"Honestly, I think he's happy with the arrangements. I mean, he did invite me in and all that, Dean."

"Cas!" Lucifer fired back, mockingly. "Cas!" Dean looked taken aback.

"Hand over the weapon. What do you say? Or we can just wait for this warding to fail and I'll take it." Grace looked at Lucifer, then her eyes darted to the horn.

"Bloody hell." Crowley and the others watched as the warding in fact began to fail, Crowley's vessel fell back as red smoke left his body and entered into Castiel's vessel, putting the two already dominating angels under.

* * *

"You know, he's been gone a long time. I mean, what do you think is going on?"

"I don't know." Grace looked from her brothers, to Crowley then back to Castiel.

"I'm going in there." Dean looked at her the way Joh used to when she'd misbehave, "Like hell you are. We just got you back, we're not losing you again."

"I'm not giving you a choice, Dean. This is no longer up for debate. We need Cas back, Crowley obviously isn't having any luck, so I'm stepping in." Sam looked between Dean and Grace.

"She's right. Death said she was a key player in the game, if she can expel Lucifer from Cas, then it's worth a shot, Dean." The eldest sibling looked pissed, but gave in with an exasperated sigh.

"Fine, but you go in there, you better come back out." She nodded "Watch over my body" Grace laid on one of the benches, closed her eyes, and the brothers watched as a whitish gold smoked flowed out of her body and into Cas.

* * *

"You second rate bean counter." She could hear Crowley screaming from the "War room" and walk towards the kitchen.

"Aah!"

"Guy's, you're gonna break something." As she got closer she heard Cas, Her Cas, not the lucifer impression.

"You wanted my throne." As she stopped in the doorway the sound of shattering glass filled the room. "You plotted to replace me!"

"Aah!" She watched for a moment as Lucifer threw Crowley about like a raggedy Andy doll.

"As if ambition and posturing were the same as majesty! Everyone in hell despises you. And sees you for exactly what you are—nothing."

"Hey!" All eyes were drawn to Grace as she stepped out from the shadows.

"Lucy, I'm home." She blasted the archangel off of Crowley, watching as he crashed into one of the storage shelves.

"Grace?" Her eyes landed on Castiel, sitting in front of an old television, glowing gold boring into blue

"Heya, Cas. I'd love to chat, but I've got an ass to kick." She turned her focus back to Lucifer.

"You sadistic, conniving, Weasley , whiney excuse for an angel, give me one reason not to tear you apart at your core and return your atoms to the universe from whence my father pulled them."

"Oh, looks like little Avarin found her spark." He let out a growl, as if he were attracted to the sudden power she exerted, "All right, I'll play." Grace was blasted back, Cas finally drew his attention away from the T.V and Crowley caught his breath.

"Grace!" Her eyes flashed dangerously as Castiel got to his feet.

" _Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, Omins satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii. Omnis legio! Omnis congregation et secta diabolica!"_ Sam's voice could be heard reciting an excorcism incantation, Crowley was suddenly pulled out of Cas's mind and back into the real world, leaving Lucifer, Grace and Cas.

* * *

"Crowley?" Sam and Dean stared expectantly at the self-proclaimed king of hell.

"Useless. Lucifer's hold on him is too strong, but that sister of yours…she packs a bloody punch."

"Lad's, the fire!" Rowena ducked back into hiding.

"No…No, no, no. Grace is still in there!" Dean's concern grew as Lucifer spoke.

"Ah, Trick me? You lied to me. You know, I could have been your warrior. Ah, who needs ya? Besides, Now your sweet, not so innocent, little sister is locked up in here. The possibilities of what I could do to her now are endless. But hey, at least the little love birds are back together, that's a plus, right?"

Lucifer pulled the Horn of Joshua to him, holding the hand of God firmly in his grasp.

"It's just like Crowley to leave right when the party is getting started. Have a seat." The brothers were forced into chairs.

"As much as I get a giggle out of you two, and I do, there comes a time when every relationship has…run it's course. So…" Lucifer closed his fist, bringing pain to the Winchester brothers. He didn't relent until a sudden explosion blew in the wall of the church, revealing Amara.

"Oh, Lucifer. Dear Nephew, my how you've changed. I was tracking her when she left my side."

"You were safely sealed away. You're gonna wish you'd stayed there." Lucifer activated the Horn, drawing the power from it before blasting Amara with the energy, once it ran out though and she still stood, a dark expression came over the woman's face, she drew lucifer to herm the now useless horn discarded on the ground.

"I think you and I need to have a nice, long chat."

"Cas?" Amara undid whatever it was Lucifer had done to the brothers, before vanishing in a flash of light, Graces body going with them

"No!" Sam and Dean watched as her body vanished in the flash of light, gone with Amara and Lucifer to who knows where.

* * *

"Cas…" The blue eyed Seraph stared at his mate, there was a longing in his eyes, but there was also fear.

"Grace, you shouldn't have come in here. You should have stayed with Sam and Dean."

"I don't understand." It was odd to see that the roles had reversed, for once the Angel wasn't the one who was lost.

"You're not safe near Amara." Castiel Sighed.

"Remember how I said you were made up of both Light and Darkness."

"Yeah…what about it?" He urged her to sit down, reclaiming his seat by the T.V.

"Amara—Amara is your mother." Grace sat in silence for a second as that news sank in.

"Wait…so…god…and his sister…and I…that's disgusting…" a brief smile passed over Castiel's face. "No, it doesn't quite work like that." Another look of realization dawned on her, "Dude…oh…oh no…"

"What? What is it?" Cas looked concerned

"Oh, Dean. Gross…" Cas suddenly caught on to what she had figured out, but got them back on track.

"Grace, you need to get out of here and back to your body, then run. Get back to Sam and Dean."

"And if I refuse."

"I can expel you anytime, Grace, but Lucifer…Lucifer has to stay. One more thing though, before you do go." Castiel pulled her in, roughly, closing the gap between them, I took a moment for her to respond but she kissed back fervently, Cas pulled away for air first, with a stupid smile on his face.

"I'll see you soon, I promise. Now go." And with that she was pushed out

* * *

"Okay." Amara had Lucifer pinned to the wall, finally putting him down when he gave up. "Okay. Look, I know you have a major beef with me. You probably just want to finish me. But you may want to rethink your position. 'cause I could actually be of use to you."

"Really?" The archangel felt a strange sensation, and a funny, almost buzzing feeling in his head.

"You hadn't considered—" Amara Looked perplexed as a sudden cloud of golden white mist came rolling out of the archangel, she had almost forgotten the Winchester girls body had been transported with them, she had use for the girl, but she was having a difficult time placing why she looked so familiar. the cloud of light had returned to it's rightful place.

"Ah, the princess awakes." Amara was confused by the reference, "Look, we both have an Ax to grind with god. I know his soft spots and now you have a bargaining chip. he can't handle us Both."

"Do you, for one moment, think that I would actually consider trusting you for anything?" The archangel wore a shit eating grin.

"I did trust you once. You and my brother conspired to seal me away for eons. But you're right, you might be of some use to me." The two shared a look, Lucifer still smiling, Amara hadn't figured it out yet, The blonde on the floor suddenly jolted awake, startling the red head.

"Who are you?" Amara stared at Grace, a demanding expression on her face.

"Amara?"

"Yes?" Graces head still felt kind of fuzzy

"Amara, Meet Avarin. Your daughter." A brief look of surprise came over the woman's face, followed by realization, she had forgotten the girl had come into existence, Lucifer's smirk only grew as he sealed the blondes fate.

* * *

A/N: So, I'm going to repeat my A/N from ch. 11 on ch. 12 (sorry this took me so long but this is why), I am losing motivation to post this story because the only reviews I am getting are little emoticons, or things like "Nice chap." PLEASE LEAVE ACTUAL REVIEWS! Tell me your thoughts and feelings, they keep me motivated. I do not write only to be met with things like; :0 or :D or this :))). Please do not leave these kinds of reviews on my work, I'm not saying they are not appreciated, they are nice, but I want to HEAR from you, that's why I continue this story, that's why I write. I want to know what makes you mad, what I can improve on, what things you as my readers would love to see more/less of. it hurts me to only get those emoticons, makes me feel like I'm a bad writer. I do not want flame reviews though, I don't condone hate reviews either, only constructive criticism. I am pleading with you guys, help me keep this story going by telling me things! I am writing this for all my fellow SPN fandom people, I love you guys!


	13. Don't call me Shurely

Don't call me Shurely.

* * *

Last she knew she was with Amara and Lucifer, now she was in a shabby, old fashioned Bar in a dazed state of confusion. However, upon turning around she saw the last person she ever wanted to be face to face with again.

"Metatron…" the former angel rolled his eyes, a look of disgust painted his features, "Oh god, not you…haven't I been punished enough?"

The two turned, hearing the faint drumming of fingers on wood to see someone sitting in a booth, "Hello?" Grace watched as Metatron walked towards the figure, who turned slightly and waved at the former scribe.

"Carver Edlund? What the hell is going on here?" Knowing who it was now a smile grew on the blonde's face.

"chuck!" she hurried over as the man slid on a pair of glasses "What the hell is going on here? What is this place?"

"Hello Av—Grace." He said remembering her name preference, Turning back to Metatron, "It's a bar. Actually—"

"It's not just a bar, genius, this is one of the big mans constructs. I'd know his work anywhere. We were besties, you know."

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say—"

"This is some kind of punishment, isn't it? For my sins?" Grace grinned, trying to hold back laughter at the angel's sheer stupidity.

"Oh god I hope so." Metatron's annoyance rolled off in waves. The blonde knew who Chuck really was, which just made this whole scenario the icing on a multi-dimensial, several tiered, cake.

"A limbo, where I get to spend eternity in a crappy bar with a hack writer and a blonde, yappy little purse dog." Grace mimicked deans famous 'excuse me' look and raised one eye brow.

"Dude." Chuck narrowed his eyes, mildly hurt by the comment.

"Sorry chuckles, not just any hack writer—a prophet of the lord. Give me a break." Oh he was just digging his grave, and she really wished she had some popcorn right now.

"Tell me at least the beer is real in here…" the angel took one of the draft cups and filled it as Chuck turned around.

"You really think I'm a hack?"

"I have trudged through your complete oeuvre—published and unpublished. Of the Metric ton of books I've read in my life time, "Supernatural" didn't even crack the top ten…thousand. Respectfully." Grace looked down at one of the tables, seeing a bag of popcorn, as Metatron walked back over to chuck.

"Grace, no Beer for you?" Chuck turned, smiling at her.

"No, I'm good with the popcorn and free show." She grinned back. Chuck turned his attention back to Metatron.

"Why is she here, anyways?" Chuck gave a knowing look but dodged the question

"You didn't like any of it? Not even "Home""

"No." the former angel took a seat in the booth.

"Or "All hell breaks loose"?"

"Ugh! Way too much melodrama."

"They told me about that, When Azazel kidnapped Sam to initiate his endgame, him and several other kids just like him, it was like a supernatural "Hunger Games". Only the winner didn't get a fancy house in a nice part of the district."

"Ah, see. Grace knows good literature." He looked proud, even if only for a moment.

"And you put yourself in the story? God!" Grace bit back laughter at the ironic choice of words.

"Okay, that's fair. Mildly constructive. Still, it doesn't justify you…burning one of my books though." He chuckled nervously, Grace remembered that too, Metatron had tossed one of the books into the hearth when he had her and Castiel captive in his study.

"What are you talking about?"

" "Tall tales." You were monologuing to Grace and Castiel, and you threw one into the fire."

"How do you know about that?" Realization dawned on Chucks face, "Oh, I'm sorry. I always forget. People can't see me unless I want them to see me. It's very confusing." He held up a pair of sunglasses, passing them to Metatron.

"Here, visual aid. Put these on. It will help. Go on, just do it. It's a whole thing." Metatron just looked confused as he took the glasses, Grace watched with mild intrigue.

"I'd do as the man says, Metatron." The angel rolled his eyes at her before taking the shades and slipping them on. She could vaguely hear the sound of a light switch being flicked as a bright light filled the shared booth.

"You. God. you've come back." Grace laughed, and Metatron turned to look at her briefly,

"What gave it away genius? The bright light or the "Worlds greatest dad" mug sitting next to him…you didn't think that was some kind of joke, did you?"

"And you knew? But you let me act like a complete jack ass." She smirked,

"Oh, you don't need my help to be a jack ass, Meta-douche. But I did enjoy watching you flounder like a fish out of water."

"Well…that does finally explain why you're here, you are his daughter."

"Yes, And Amara's" a mild look of shock returned to the mans face, "Aww, he didn't know. Guess you two weren't besties like you thought." The angels attention was back on chuck as he got on the floor and knelt.

"I can't believe you've come back. I-I didn't mean what I said about "Supernatural." It's underrated—due for a reboot. And this bar—it's not crappy at all. It's just like the one in "Cheers." Everybody knows my name."

"Wow…did you get some whiplash making that turn?" there was another flick of the switch as Metatron carried on,

"Okay, yeah, please, all the kneeling and stuff, it's always made me deeply, deeply uncomfortable. Just don't use the G-word, okay? Just—just call me chuck." Metatron looked dumbfounded as The writer helped him back to his feet.

"Chuck?"

"Chuck." The former angel removed the sunglasses, discarding them on the table, "I think I need a stiffer drink."

* * *

"Sure you don't want anything to drink, Grace?" the blonde had finished her popcorn as they sat around the bar like a group of old friends.

"I'm good, thanks…dad." The word sounded foreign, but a kind smile found it's way to Chucks face.

"It's been a long time since you've called me that."

"Well…it's been a long time since I've actually known who you were." His smile grew.

"Fair point. For what it's worth, I've always been watching over you, and it destroyed me to watch you die, both in reality and in the books. But it had to be done for the plot to progress.

"I understand, it's all a means t and end." She smiled as Chuck turned back to Metatron.

"So, what you been up to?" Metatron nursed his beer, making idle small talk.

"Oh, I've been super busy. Yeah, I traveled."

"Mm-hmm."

"I just started a blog. Mostly just pictures of cats."

"Oh."

"They're so cute. And, uh…oh, I signed up for snapchat. A-And I started a new series of books. Yeah, "revolution." But I don't think it's going anywhere.

"Revolution?"

"Yeah."

"Supernatural. Maybe titles aren't your thing."

"You're not wrong." Metatron rubbed his face with his hands, clearly tired, Grace shrugged, resting her head on the table.

"But why did you put on the chuck suit in the first place? How did that make any sense to you?"

"I like front-row seats. You know, I figured I'd hide out in plain sight. You know, plus, you know, acting is fun." Metatron grabbed his whiskey off the counter and walked back to the booth

"Well…it's an Oscar-worthy performance. But…how did nobody know? I mean, w-what about that amulet thingy? Y-You told me about it, some…silly charm that burned brightly in the presence of you."

"You mean this?" He fished a familiar necklace from his pocket. "Yes!" Grace looked up again.

"Where did you get that? That belongs to Dean."

"And your fav—Castiel. They were around you. How did it never-"

"I turned it off." There was another of the mind-boggling clicks and the necklace began to glow. "See?" Metatron shielded his eyes.

"I should really put this way. You'll never guess where this thing has been this entire time."

"Look, I don't care about that ugly old thing or why you were slumming it with the plebes. Let's brass some tacks already, okay?" Chuck stood, arms crossed, staring directly at the fallen angel before him.

"You see and hear all. You know what an absolute piece of garbage I've been the last couple of years."

"He's not lying…" Chuck turned. "Quiet, Grace. Let the man speak for himself."

"Did you bring me here to destroy me?"

"You know what humanity's greatest creation has been? Music." All right, now neither party knew what the hell he was talking about.

"That and nacho cheese. Even I couldn't have dreamt up that deliciousness. But music…is magic. A lot of remarkable music was created in this space. B.G'S canteen. Now, it's not as well-known as the bitter-end or the gaslight, but some amazing musicians got their start on this stage. I'm hoping that the three of us can tap into some of that old magic and finish what I started a few months ago." Grace and Metatron looked back to the booth.

"Are you kidding me right now…" She was fully pissed off now at his ignorance. "There's about to be a full scale global war, starring your sister, my mother, and you want help with a fucking book!?"

"You wrote your autobiography?" Metatron picked up the manuscript, looking unimpressed.

"Ish." Grace stood, finally fed up.

"Grace?" She turned, eyes glowing gold, "Where is the door?"

"The door? Why?"

"Because I'm leaving."

"Leaving? Where are you going to go?"

"Anywhere that is not here. I'm not a beta reader, Chuck. My brothers need help."

"They're not really your brothers, Avarin." His voice held a certain amount of power now, "Your life down there with them, it wasn't real…well…okay, it was real, but not in the way you think. Sure you were born into that body, and raised with the Winchester's, but your real family is here."

"Yeah, well, my real family is turning a blind eye to countless deaths because he's afraid."

"Well, you're not leaving, so…"

"I see where he got it now, this deranged sense of ownership." Chuck looked confused. "Who?"

"Lucifer. And you know, now that we're on the subject, where the fuck were you when he was holding me prisoner in hell? Where were you?!"

"Avarin, calm down." He tried to place a gentle hand on her shoulder, but she smacked it away, "Oh my—this isn't one of your silly little books, Dad! What's going on right now can't just be erased at the drop of a hat. We're going through literal hell on earth down there, and you just…you don't care!" she continued to look around for the door.

"If there isn't a door for me to leave, I'll make one." And just like that she materialized a door.

"Wow. You've really started getting the hang of your powers again." She ignored him, stepping through and back to where she belonged.

* * *

Grace watched as they carried a body out on the gurney, she had seen the fog roll in this morning, if Chuck wasn't going to do anything as god, then it was left to her. She spotted a familiar 1967 Chevy impala pull up to the scene and smiled, walking over.

"Hey, Sam, Dean." The brothers wore looks of relief as their eyes landed on the blonde.

"How'd you get here?"

"Oh you know…Magic doors from magic bars." Dean looked confused, "Magic doors?"

"Magic Bars." The brothers shared a look now.

"Really?" Grace quirked a brow at her brothers' different questions. "Whatever, anyways, looks like Amara's been here." She left out the new information she had, about the vengeful entity being her mother.

"Yeah. When the hell did you get into town?"

"Oh, last night. Um…It's a long story."

"Well, it's a long story you can tell us in the car, which is where you're going to wait because you can't work a case dressed like that." He indicated to the dress she still wore from her adventure into heaven.

"And where are your shoes?" She looked deadpanned.

"I have been held prisoner in hell, been to heaven for some sort of coup d'etat, escaped, found you two, got stuck inside Castiels mind with lucifer, mind you. Been abducted by a crazed woman with a grudge match, and transported to a magical bar, and your first question is… "Where are your shoes?"!" Dean looked flabbergasted, Sam pursed his lips in annoyance at her sudden attitude.

"Regardless of whatever the hell you just tried to explain, you'll wait in the car."

* * *

Grace rummaged through one of her emergency bags, thankful she had stuffed a change of clothes into it, tugging them out she stripped off the gaudy white dress Lucifer had forced on her and tugged on a pair of black skinny jeans, a matching black tank top and a Green wind breaker jacket before tugging on her grungy, tannish brown, converse before climbing out of the impala.

"Mind if I give it a shot?" she had heard the last part of the officer's words as she stepped into the bull pen. The sheriff looked a bit confused.

"Sorry, Agent Soto." The sheriff looked unimpressed, "One of yours?"

"Yeah, she's a trainee, but she's skilled." The sheriff moved over to let her sit down.

"Sheriff. Matt and Emmy just called in. they said they saw some fog rolling in by jasper hills."

"Did they say where it was headed?" Deans mind was working as the woman replied.

"west towards town."

"Okay, call them back, tell them to get inside, shut their windows or doors, seal it up, and stay the hell away from that fog. Then get the word out to everybody in town that they need to do the same damn thing."

"Hold on. What are you talking about?" the sheriff refused to budge until Dean answered him.

"My partners and I have this before, okay? Wes, Deputy Harris were infected by something in this fog. Now, I know this sounds crazy—"

"No, it sounds like we should call the CDC."

"There's no time for that."

"Found Deputy Harris." Sam, Dean and the sheriff turned to look at Grace. "She's on Mainstreet, heading right this way."

"All right, we'll handle Harris. Just please, get the word out. Tell everybody they need to stay inside seal up their windows their doors—everything. Do it." Grace stood, following them out of the station.

* * *

Deputy Harris stepped out of her squad car, looking lost and absent minded.

"Hey, get them out of here." Sam nodded, heading for the onlookers. "Agent Greer, FBI, I'm gonna need you to get inside immediately. Go." The group took off, heading for the nearest shelter. The door of the squad car slammed, Harris held a gun.

"I tried to kill myself. But she won't let me. She has a message for you, Dean and Grace Winchester."

"Amara? Is she here?"

"No. but her words have been echoing in my head ever since I took a breath of that fog."

"Did she tell you to kill your husband?" Harris leaned against her car, defeated

"And I watched myself do it." Dean looked to his brother and sister as Sam tried to talk her down.

"Okay, listen to me, this is an infection, put the gun down and let us help you."

"It's not an infection. She says it's a mirror. She's showing us all the truth."

"Darkness." Grace looked down the street, keeping any eye out for the fog.

"The light was just a lie." She raised the gun, but was shot before she could pull the trigger. The siblings turned to look at the sheriff, gun still smoking as Harris uttered final words.

"It'll all be over soon. He's not gonna save them. It's all going away…forever. But not you two."

"Dean! We have to get everyone inside!" Dean stood, taking in the mass of fog rolling in.

* * *

"Hey, you gotta go, get!" Sam, Dean and Grace hurried around, getting people out of their cars and into safe shelters.

"Hey, sweetheart. Okay, we're gonna get you out of here. We're gonna get you safe, okay" Sam was unbuckling a little girl from her car seat as Grace worked on the next car.

"What's going on?"

"Just get out of here, okay?"

"What's this fog doing?"

"Just get inside now!" Grace looked at the encompassing fog, "Sam, we're running out of time, I'm going to try and hold it back."

"Hold it back?" Grace was rushing two women near the line to safety, "Take Dean and Go! Get them somewhere safe!"

"Grace…"

"That's an order Sam!" he looked taken aback by her sudden command, "GO!" he didn't ask questions as he and Dean herded the remaining bystanders into the station.

* * *

Grace struggled to keep the fog at bay, giving at least a few more people a chance to get inside before the fog infected them, had she still been human she would not have survived.

Sprinting into the station she caught a roll of duct tape and started sealing off anything that might let the fog into the building.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't do more." The sheriff looked confused, "Do more? I'm sorry I don't…"

"You don't need to understand, right now we have to keep them safe." Sam looked back from the window as they worked on fixing the old dispatcher radio.

"Dean." He walked towards his brother "You hear that?" it sounded like a full scale riot outside, as two figures stepped out of the fog Grace looked back at the people they'd saved as the glass door was shattered, Dean pushed Sam back as he closed another set of door, locking them with a metal bar.

"Um, Dean…we have a problem…" Grace had recovered the vent but too much of the mist had found its way inside.

"Sam!"

"Folks, we need to stay together, okay?"

"Sam?"

"No, stay back. Don't." Grace looked at her brother, Dean looked at her confused wondering why she wasn't in the same shape as Sam. She knew the reason, but it wasn't the time to tell them, nor was it the place.

"My god, he's infected."

"Everybody, get inside!" Grace watched them to make sure they got in safely, the sheriff shooting her a confused look. Once they were safe it was just the siblings.

"Come on, let's go. Get in here."

"No, I'm not leaving them." A Brick shattered the window, flooding the bull pen with fog and indistinct shouts from the distance. Sam ripped the cork board off the wall to try and board up the window as Dean sealed the bottom of the door, but when Sam fell, Grace took over.

"Sam! Grace, get that window covered, now!" he hurried over, crouching by Sam "Hey, listen to me! Sam!"

"We're not gonna make it." Grace secured the window but smoke still leaked in under the door.

"No, no, no. there's no quitting here."

"We were never going to make it."

"Sam, Listen to me. That's not you talking, it's the fog." Grace knelt down next to him.

"Maybe I can pull it out…"

"You were gonna choose Amara over me. Over everything." Dean looked at Grace, giving a brief nod for her to give it a go.

"Sam, No!"

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that, Dean. I can't fight this. You gotta go. Before you…both of you get infected."

"Sam, I won't get infected. And you know damn well we're not just gonna leave you here." Her brother looked confused, and all three failed to notice the fog flowing into the back room through a crack under the door.

"Then go before I hurt you!"

"No, We're not going anywhere!" the pain seemingly became unbearable so she sped up trying to pull it from him.

"This might hurt a bit, Sam, but stay with me." She pushed her hand into his abdomen, fishing for the fog, deep regret filled her person as she did what she needed to.

Dean tilted his head towards the sky, "Stop this! You hear me, you dick?!" the shouting and banging only got louder as the group in the back room became infected, but suddenly it stopped.

"No, No, No, No,, No, No, No! Hey, hey, look at me." Grace kept working, trying to pull the toxin out, "I think I've almost got it, Keep him distracted, Dean.

"Sam, you might fell a bit of tension, but bear with me." Dean looked at grace with surprise as he forced Sam to look at him.

"Look at me. I'm right here. We're right here. Okay, it's okay. It's all right. We're right here." The necklace in Sam's pocket began to glow, and Dean looked at Grace. The elder sibling pulled out the amulet, one he distinctly remembered throwing away years ago.

"Are you doing this?" she pulled her hand out of Sam, shaking her head. "No, but the fog…it's gone. He finally came around." The group from the back came out, infection gone. Onboarding the door the sibling stepped out into the sunlight, no fog insight, Grace glanced around, knowing exactly who had saved them

"It's about damn time." She smiled, leading her brothers down the sidewalk, the little charm still glowing.

"Grace?" her smile was a mix of emotion, both sad and Happy, as she heard the sound of a faint song playing in her mind as the three stopped. A man consoling one of the victims stood, turning to face the three siblings, and a tear rolled down Grace's face.

"We should probably talk." Chuck flashed the boys a sympathetic smile before turning his eyes to his daughter.

"I should have listened to you sooner, Ava. I'm sorry."

* * *

Surprise, Ch. 13 is done, that's two chapter in one day! As per usual, please tell me what you all think. I love hearing from my readers, but keep in mind my authors note from the previous two chapters. I would love some constructive criticism.


	14. All in the Family

"What the hell's going on here?"

"Look, I'm happy to fill in the blanks but maybe we should go somewhere where we could actually it down." Sam, Dean and Grace all shared a look, the blondes most resembling disdain.

"We're not going anywhere with you." Sam looked at his siblings with confusion. "Okay, how do we even know that you're really Chuck and not just some crazy spell or manifes…tation." Chuck snapped his fingers and they were back in the bunker, Grace rolled her eyes until she saw Kevin poke his head out from behind her father.

"Kevin?"

"Kevin?!" Sam's voice held more concern, Grace sounded both surprised and slightly pissed off.

"Guy's" he spared a glance at Grace her turned her head away, remembering the kiss they had shared in the bunker, before his untimely death…"You're looking stressed. Especially you…" he looked at Dean who seemed to still be processing.

"I-It's cool." Chuck watched Graces reaction with curiosity. "Trust chuck. Whatever it is he needs you to do, he must think you can handle it. I always trusted you." Kevin avoided looking at the blonde.

"Yeah, that ended well."

"How did you—are you okay? Um…"

"Yeah, I mean, you know, given the circumstances."

"Yeah, I don't mean to interrupt. Kind of a plateful here. And, Kevin…you've been in the veil long enough. It's time you had an upgrade." Grace watched as Kevin faded back into a soul, floating upwards before vanishing, a sad expression on her face.

"Holy crap." Ah Dean, always with the eloquence.

* * *

The group now sat around the table, Sam and Dean still shocked while Grace kept her head against the table, eyes shut in boredom.

"Okay, so, wow, um, chuck…"

"Such chuck, much wow…Sam, just spit it out." Sam's eyes flashed in annoyance but chuck turned to glance at her as well.

"I love Moon Moon!" Dean looked between the two in confusion, "Well…that's not weird at all…" Grace shrugged at Dean.

"Well, I mean…great minds and all that crap." Sam sat rather awkwardly unsure how to move the conversation forward.

"I'd prefer it if you all called me chuck."

"Ok, uh, "Chuck" it is." She laid her head back down on the table as titles were finalized, wondering just how long her father would be hanging around the bunker… "I'm sorry. You're gonna have to, uh…give Dean and me to start to process."

"Dean and I." Sam looked at his sister.

"Is now really the time, Grace?" he wore his famous "Bitch" face as he turned back to chuck. "We didn't even know you were around. I mean, we knew about Chuck, but we just didn't know about…chuck. I mean, I-I-I was hoping you were around I-I-I prayed and I—I don't know if they got, uh, lost in the spam or if—"

"Sam?"

"Yeah?" he looked towards Dean

"Babbling."

"Okay." Sam turned his attention back to Chuck, Grace had her attention on the far wall, finding the chipped paint more interesting.

"I'm getting that not everyone's totally on board." Chucks eyes flitted between Dean and Grace.

"Yeah, I'm on board, just not with whatever insane, suicidal idea you may have running through that crazy brain of yours."

"here's the thing, um…chuck…and I mean no disrespect um…I'm guessing you came back to help with the Darkness, and that's great. That's, you know—it's fantastic. Um, but you've been gone a—a…long, long time. And there's so much crap that has gone down on the earth for thousands of years. I mean, plagues and wars, slaughters. And you were, I don't know, writing books, going to fan conventions. Were you even aware, o-or did you just tune it out?"

Chuck regarded all of Dean's concerns with a straight face, his eyes flitting back and forth a few times as he processed, "I was aware, Dean."

"But you did nothing. And again, I-I'm not trying to piss you off. You know, I don't wanna turn into a pillar of salt."

"I actually—I didn't do that."

"Guilty…" Sam and Dean looked to Grace in shock, "the woman wouldn't run so to spare her life from the Sodom men I turned her into salt. Better than being massacred, right?" Dean looked slightly perturbed.

"Okay. People—People pray to you. People build churches for you. They fight wars in your name, and you did nothing."

"You're frustrated. I get it. Believe me, I was Hands-on—real hands-on, for, wow, ages…I was so sure if I kept stepping in, teaching, punishing that these beautiful creatures that I created…would grow up. But it only stayed the same. And I saw that I needed to step away and let my baby find it's way. Being over involved is no longer parenting it's enabling." The sound of a chair being pushed out echoed in the room for a second and Grace stood, walking out.

"But it didn't get better."

"Well, I've been mulling it over. And from where I sit, I think it has." Dean watched her go as another tear streamed down his face.

"Well, from where I sit, it feels like you left us, left her, and you're trying to justify it." Chucks attention shifted to the blonde now turning the corner, a concerned expression crossed his face.

"Avarin is millennia's old, just like the angels—"

"Yeah, but you dumped her here, on this hellish rock, to suffer through humanity until she was useful to you again. Father of the friggin' year, Chuck."

"but she wound up with you two as her brothers. I know you had a complicated upbringing, Dean, but don't confuse me with your dad. I love Ava and it destroyed me to put her here, but she had to be kept safe, she had to be kept from Amara."

* * *

There was a knock at her door and she tried ignoring it, however, whoever it was persisted.

"Grace, I'm not going anywhere until you open this door." It was Sam, it figured, Dean was shit at the sentimental crap most of the time.

"Go away, Sam!" there was silence for a few seconds until she heard the click of her lock, son of a bitch picked it…

"I hate you…" he rolled his eyes, "Yeah, sure you do. What was that about?"

"Enabling…he wasn't much of a father, If I'm being honest. He was always busy with something or another so I spent a lot of time with Michael and Gabriel and Lucifer…and Castiel…" Sam took a seat on the end of her bed.

"I aged like humans until a certain point, you know. But he was almost never there, and when he was, it was to teach me things…"

"Teach you?" she nodded, shifting so she was sitting up and looking at him. "Yeah, like how to create things out of nothing, or how to break up fights between the Archangels, how to fight…not that I was ever allowed to, but you know, for self defense purposes." Sam quirked a brow at this, he was trying to picture her breaking up a fight between Michael and Lucifer.

"Something funny?" his smile faltered for a second "No, Uh…No, nothing." He briefly wondered if she could read minds like the angels seemed to be able, but shook the thought from his head.

"Chuckles out there was grooming me…" Sam looked confused now.

"Grooming you?" she nodded, flopping back again to stare at the ceiling, "Yeah, to be the next "Big guy" upstairs. But I don't want the job, not if it means I'm isolated." She curled in on herself and Sam slid up so his back was against the headboard.

"So tell him that…" she turned her head ever so slightly, "What?"

"Tell him you don't want the job." She rolled over to face him, still curled up. A conflicted expression washed over her features as Sam stared down at her.

"How are you so good at this?" Sam just smiled, "Well, I've had over a decade of practice with you alone."

"Shut up, brother sasquatch."

"Whatever you say, little fish." After a few minutes of comfortable silence between the siblings Sam spoke again.

"We should get back out there, we're running out of time and we have to stop Amara."

* * *

They were all sat around one of the tables in the "war" room, "You have to understand this about the Darkness—she's relentless, a force beyond human comprehension it's the only reason I came off the sidelines." Sam's eyes trailed back to Grace again, hurt and pain were still clear on her features, Chuck's eyes followed his and regret filled him, he was killing her, he was killing his daughter.

"Ava…I didn't mean that the way it came out…but right now this is the fish we have to fry, we have to stop Amara." Her eyes still held so much pain, but she was playing the "Brave little soldier" knowing he was right.

"It must have been great being her brother, huh?"

"It was the worst. Always telling me what to do, making me do what she wanted. I mean, you three know how that works." The three siblings shared an awkward glance at one another, "So, where is she?"

"No freakin' idea, fellas. She's warded herself specifically against me. What have you come up with?"

"Zip, and we've been at it for months." Dean looked back towards Grace, "Ask her, Maybe she knows." Grace flipped him off.

"Ava!"

"Chuck!" she responded with just as much vigor, Chuck looked taken aback for a second, he hadn't dealt with the rebellious years with her in heaven, Humanity had really dug it's claws in and there was a modicum of regret now. Sam and Dean shared a look.

"Where's the guest room? I could use a shower."

"Uh, it's, um…just down the hallway—fourth door on the left." As he stood to find the guest room Dean spoke. "Hey, Chuck. You know that she's got lucifer, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"The way we heard it, um…last time when you bottled up the darkness, it—it took more than just you. I mean, we heard Lucifer was involved."

"No." why was he lying? Grace didn't remember much, but she remembered enough, he hadn't done it on his own.

"No?" chuck turned to the face the three of them once more, "Lucifer was perhaps my greatest hope and my bitterest disappointment do you think if I could have trusted him for a moment, I would have put him in the cage? And I wasn't gonna mention this, but thank you so much for springing him."

"That's a lie…" Chuck turned his attention on his daughter.

"Lucifer was kind, emphasis on the word was, sure his opinions on humanity were wrong, but he was a good son, but eons locked away in a cage, totally isolated would be enough to twist anyone into the villain…speaking of which, where were you when he kidnapped me, where were you during the seemingly _endless_ hours of torture and abuse he subjected me too? Locked in a cage of my own like some rabid animal? Where were you?"

Another point to Grace for cornering the most powerful being in the known universe and making him feel like garbage.

"Now, as bad as he was, after all this time in prison, Avarin is right, he's probably worse. I'm Sorry, Ava. For all the shit that happened to you… but by now he could have formed an alliance with Amara. Not walking into that trap, Guys. So, no." He turned and started walking away again.

"Thus spake the lord."

* * *

"Where's chuck?" Grace walked into the room still dressed in one of Sam's stolen T-shirts and a pair of shorts she'd gotten at some department store on one of their hunting trips a few years back.

"Caffeine…" Dean looked wary, she must have actually slept last night, quite often the eldest sibling was certain he'd heard her rustling around in the library, he merely pointed to the kitchen and went back to his conversation.

"Sleeping in, I guess."

"Does god sleep?"

"I know he takes really long showers." Grace came back with a giant mug of coffee, said absolutely nothing and sat at the table, staring off into space.

"Right, and sings, too—like, crappy old folk songs. I had to tell him to cool it three times." Sam looked like he anted to laugh but held it back.

"You told god to cool it?"

"Yeah, I sleep."

"You two are like gossiping housewives…it's ridiculous."

"Your face is ridiculous." Dean retorted.

"Shut up, Dean."

"You shut up."

"You know, I know this is a really strange situation and all, but it's also really amazing, you know? I mean, it's god there's so many things I wanna ask him, uh, like, uh, t-the planets, you know? Why are they round? Or ears? I always thought they were strange." The sudden thud of Grace's head hitting the table startled Sam.

'Oh look, you put her back to sleep… Look, calm down fanboy. Let's stay focused." Sam crossed his arms in annoyance. "We gotta find lucifer before it's too late."

"Too late?" a light snoring was heard from grace, Sam had actually bored her back into sleep, "Amara is—she's in my head. Hey, I didn't ask for it, okay? She just showed up. But she's showing me visions of—of Lucifer. By Lucifer, I mean Cas, and he looks like crap—like she's really doing a number on him."

"Shh, hey." Chuck had come in with a giant box of donuts. "Morning." Chuck looked at the brothers then at Grace.

"not enough sleep?" Chuck looked confused

"She shouldn't need sleep…not much anyways."

"Is that my robe?" Dean wasn't put off by the fact that a celestial being was out cold on the table, but he was concerned another one was wearing his clothes.

"I'm telling you guys, it's a mistake to get mixed up with Lucifer. Much as it pained me, I had to walk away. Too much drama." He lifted his coffee mug to his mouth but stopped, "Do you have any bacon?"

"You eat Bacon?"

Chuck shrugged, drinking his coffee, "Yeah."

"Hey, guys, this just came up. Looks like that fog, the, um…Amara fog, uh, hit another town."

"And?" Chuck took another small bite of his powdered donut, "and this one wasn't as lucky as the last one. Thousands died. Uh, everyone died. But, uh, except for one man."

"How'd you miss that one?" Dean turned to chuck with annoyance clear in his voice,

"She's baiting me. I can't respond every time. I won't be manipulated."

"But thousands of people are dead."

"Unfortunately. So find her."

"Donatello…" Grace mumbled in her sleep, the three men turned to look at her, Chuck looked concerned,

"Who's Donatello?"

"She's not supposed to know the names, only the angels are."

"Names? What names, chuck?"

"The Prophet names."

* * *

"Are you watching curling?" Grace stared at the small laptop screen as she heard the door open and close in the background.

"Well, I asked if you wanted to watch a movie, spend sometimes bonding, but you ignored me."

"You also ordered Chinese food with my credit card…"

"Hey, chuck." Grace looked up as Dean came down stairs, chuck was sitting in a chair, feet propped up in only his boxers and a loose t-shirt.

"We, uh, found someone. I think he's the next prophet."

"Neat-o" Dean and Grace both looked unimpressed, dean turned his attention to the laptop.

"Is that my computer?"

"I've never seen so much porn." The two shared an awkward silence, "Not in one sitting."

"It's—I'm gonna…" Dean closed the laptop cautiously, staring at the boxer clad man, his eyes flitted to Grace, "You didn't—you didn't see any of it…" She just stood, shook her head and left.

"I want no part of this conversation." As she walked out of the room the conversation shifted back on topic.

"So, Uh, listen. He—he's—he's a little nutted out about the whole booga-booga of it all. So maybe just dial back the—the god stuff." Dean sighed as Chuck gave him a thumbs up.

"No pants on…Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." As Sam brought Donatello down the stairs the chemist caught sight of chuck, "All right, you're safe. Come on."

"Donatello, good to see ya." Chuck stood, still in nothing but his boxers and white t-shirt, hand still clinging to a Chinese take out container. "Sorry about your cat." The elderly man looked confused.

"You—you know me?"

"I made you. I made all of you, even the ones who aren't born yet."

"Oh, my god. it's you."

"Yeah, in all of his unimpressive, under dressed splendor." Grace came back with a bottle of Beer

"G-Good to meet you, sir!" Donatello stuck out his hand to shake Chuck's "Your—you're celestial magnificence, your—"

"Hey, Hey, Hey, it's okay. He—He just kind of goes by Chuck." Sam patted the man shoulder to calm him down as Grace surveyed the old guy.

"Not too impressive in terms of prophets, at least Kevin was a good kisser…"

"Ava!"

"Chuck!" the brothers shared the same look they had the first time this had happened. Donatello looked confused.

"And who's she?

"That's a loaded question, but to put it simply…god's daughter." Donatello looked conflicted, mainly wondering how this man reproduced, which was a story for another day…or an entirely different generation entirely.

"So, we good? y'all signed up?"

"Uh…I-I guess you know I was an atheist, until ten minutes ago. Is that an issue?"

"Not for me. I mean, I believe in me. But your skepticism is to be expected. I did include free will in the kit." He chuckled before giving Donatello a playful punch.

"Welcome aboard."

* * *

"You wanted to talk? This seems as good a place as any. Look at them—endlessly optimistic. The wind blows over his towers, he rebuilds. Always gets me."

"Are you ever not eating?" Grace stared out at the children in the sand box, Dean stood behind the bench.

"If that's so, why are you bailing?" Chuck turned to look at the eldest of the Winchester siblings, "When you see Amara, you're throwing in the towel?" the celestial being sighed, "Metatron. Loose lips…but you think I'm a dick. Why do you care?"

"Because, before you went M.I.A you did a lot."

"Thank you. And what you call throwing in the towel, I call strategy."

"How is death by your sister a strategy?"

"I know her. Her beef is with me."

"Yeah, but I still don't understand how—how dying is a—blueprint for success. You're gonna leave this world a mess, make your own daughter clean up after you…are you thinking about Grace at all?"

"Of course, I'm thinking about her, Avarin was the first thing I created, the first thing my sister tried to destroy, to take away from me. I won't be dying I'll be caged. I trade myself for…everything I created. It goes on. Grace takes over the kingdom until I can figure out a way to come back, it'll be fine, she'll do fine."

"But what if that's not what she wants?"

"It's not what I want…" She finally spoke up, tuning into the conversation.

"Ava…?" Chuck turned to look at her, really looking at her for the first time in eons.

"I don't want it, any of it. I don't want your throne, I don't want a kingdom, and I don't want a religion that blindly follows an entity that may or may not exist, in their honest opinion. I don't want it." There was conflict in her eyes, Chuck could finally see it. The being's eyes finally softened.

"Look, Amara is a mountain of—of pissed off. I mean she's spent a—a gazillion years in solitary. The only thing she's thinking is—is it's her turn."

"And I'll give it to her, as long as she accepts the deal."

"The deal? What…she's gonna eliminate you, and then she's gonna destroy everything that you've created. She's told me this personally." Chuck sighed, his eyes trailing back to the children on the playground.

"You started this. You started all of this. But does that really give you the right to end it? You know, we're not just some toys you throw away. I think you owe us more than that."

"If my plan doesn't work, then humans will step up. You, Sam, Ava, others that are the chosen will have to find a way. It's why I save you years ago. You're the firewall between light and darkness."

"No. No, I…look, give me a vampire, and I'm good. but this—god's sister? That is way above my pay grade. I…it…bottom line is i-it's you who has to take her out. And look, and after that, you know, get a condo in Cancun. I don't care!" Chuck sighed, letting the words settle in.

* * *

"I got you a beer. I don't know if you drink."

"I do now." Dean set the bottle in front of the new-to-the-game prophet "Well…I don't know…if chuck is leaning our way." Dean ran a hand down his face, he was tired for sure, but he'd left Grace and Chuck back at the park, they could pop back in whenever they wanted.

"You don't know?"

"I f we do get Lucifer for the added muscle, then…maybe he'll play ball."

"I thought they hated each other."

"Yeah, they do."

"Wow." The poor guy couldn't even begin to comprehend the viscosity of what was really going on in their world as he knocked back more of his Beer. The door opened and closed again.

"I so miss being an atheist."

"All right, Metatron. Make it quick. Don't touch anything."

"Fine. Dean!" the ex-angel greeted cheerfully, "Thanks for inviting me."

"Inviting you? You've been circling the building all night. You sent me 200 text messages with dumb ass emoji's, you got three minutes."

"Oh. Donatello." The angel pointed to the prophet like they were old buddies, "Pleasure to meet you. Metatron, scribe of god. I was there when you were designed. I wrote your name on the inside of the angels' eyelids."

"He's freaking me out." Metatron stood stoicly at the edge of the table.

"Okay. You said you wanted to help. Besides world-class douchery, what do you have to offer?" The ex-angel looked unimpressed,

"Oh, nothing. I just transcribed the angel tablet and know all the spells. And I know what makes Amara tick. And I had a relationship with the big guy for eons. Shall I keep going?" he sat down, grabbing Sam's beer and was about to take a drink when he snatched it back.

"Ah, that's mine. As much as I hate to admit this he kind of has a point." Dean narrowed his eyes at both Sam and Metatron.

"I don't know." The ex-angel cracked up, "You need all the help you can get—even douche help.'

"And since when did you jump on the god wagon? You never used to give a damn."

"Well, I didn't—at one time. Now that he's gone all kamikaze, leaving us with the Darkness, I…I was by his side since the creation." Metatron leaned forward a bit in his chair "He believed in me. If there's something I can do to help save him and his creation, then…uh, it seems like I should."

"The pan is to rescue lucifer from Amara then he teleports us out of Amara's hideout and we convince chuck to use him to fight her." Metatron chuckled, they couldn't be serious, could they?

"That's your plan? Do you even know where Amara is?" Donatello rose his hand slightly, "uh, I think I might know where she is. I've been getting this vibe uh, it's like a ping in my cerebral cortex."

"Oh, so either Amara or a stroke. And how are we supposed to keep Amara busy while we're…liberating Lucifer?"

* * *

The group slowly advanced into Amara's hide out, Lucifer glancing up in a curious daze.

"Oh, goody. Larry, Curly, Moe. Search and rescue?" Donatello looked at Lucifer somewhat in awe.

"Oh, wow. It's one of Dad's favorites. Your ticket finally got punched, huh? It's wacky isn't it? One minute, you're…nobody. And then—shazam—you're Joan of arc. Let's, uh—let's hope this end better than that." Metatron worked on untying lucifer from the makeshift flogging post Amara had pieced together out of factory junk.

"All right, can the small talk. We're busting you out of here." Sam was having none of whatever Lucifer was trying to pull.

"Well, it seems fair. Since I wouldn't be here if you lunatics hadn't set me up to be grabbed by Amara."

"Well, you did kidnap my sister, so we'll call it even."

"You kidnapped Avarin?" Metatron looked mildly surprised, Sam played it off though, "You're gonna help us take her down. If you say No, we'll just leave you here an Abu Ghraib."

"Say no? sure, I took little Ava, but do you see what Amara has done to me? Do I look like a fan?!"

" _Eeroh, mahday, saytah."_ Metatron began working on the spell.

"Did you grab this from the Steno pool?"

"You understand you'll be working with your father. You'll be working with Grace as well. Is that going to be a problem?" Lucifer groaned as Metatron continued the incantation.

"That's family. This is bigger."

"So, you'll table all the old stuff?"

"What happens in heaven stays in heaven."

" _Kaytoh, Mahday, Tayroh!"_

"Metatron, are we getting any closer? Dean can't stall forever."

"I'm—I'm—I'm narrowing it down. _Sahboh, Taylah!"_

"Yes." Lucifer finally slid down to the floor, able to rest for the first time in days."

"Hey, Lucifer, zap us out of here—quick!" the Angel stayed on the ground, "Oh, no can do."

"What do you mean you can't do it?'

"Temporarily grounded. Equipment malfunction."

"Guys, I'm—I'm feeling her. She's coming.'

"All right, we're out of here. Okay." Sam rushed forward to give Lucifer some help, they needed to get him to the Impala before Amara got back. The sudden, familiar sound of what he thought was wings came from behind him.

"Someone call for an express ride?"

"Grace?" did she have wings? it was a question Sam would ask about later, now wasn't the time. "Help me get him up. We don't have time."

"I can do you one better, Sam, Metatron, Donatello, back to the car, I've got him." She stepped forward Looking at Lucifer/Cas. "Don't think this means I've forgiven you for what you've done." She placed a hand on the fallen Angel's shoulder and they were gone in a flash.

* * *

The impala crashed into the bunkers garage as Sam and Donatello climbed out, Grace stood with lucifer's arm still draped over her shoulders.

"Where are we?" Grace continued to help Lucifer as they walked out of the garage, "Home." Chuck walked in with a six pack of beer, still non-chalant.

"Thank you, Ava. You know, occasionally, I do answer a prayer." Lucifer pushed off of Grace to stare at his father who was cracking open a bottle.

"You've changed."

"You've changed." Lucifer came back with the same words.

"Well, still…I'm really pretty much the same." He flicked an imaginary switch and Lucifer/Castiel was healed.

* * *

Sam and Dean had gone to see Donatello off and Grace sat across from Lucifer in complete silence.

"Why'd you do it?"

"What?"

"why did you do it?" he reiterated for her, "I mean, I'm wearing your mate as a meat suit, and let me tell you, he thinks about you, a lot, I kidnapped you, held you in a cage for a month, beat you, tortured you, and you still helped me. Why?"

"Because, Lucifer, we're not all the same. Unlike Dad I believe in second chances, forgiveness. And considering what's been done to you and Cas…you looked like you could use a friend."

"Friends? Kindness…forgiveness? you really have spent far to long with the human's, Ava." The blonde shrugged

"I remember before he locked you away, you had a rebellious streak, but you were kind in your own way. You used to watch out for me, you and the others." There was a ghost of a smile on his features.

"I remember beating someone senseless once for ripping feathers out of your wings…you'd never fight back, even back then. I can see why dad wanted you to take over." She leaned back in her chair, blue eyes drawn to the ceiling again.

"I don't want a throne…I like free will, but the angels…they seem to want rules and order, and the ones that don't are already here on earth, starting families, living lives…that's what I want to do. I don't want to be trapped in a job I don't want for eternity." A new look dawned on Lucifer's face, it almost looked like Pity. She tilted her head.

"Ava…no, Grace, if I could take back what…"

"Don't apologize for being you, Lucifer. But I would appreciate having Cas back eventually." The fallen angel quirked a brow

"Cassie here isn't really my style, but I haven't found another vessel yet. Besides he seems mostly fine with the arrangement."

"Regardless, I'd like him back."

* * *

So, As I keep stating all of this is rough drafting until the project is complete, and now that season 13 is FINALLY out on Netflix, I can start plotting for a third section, turning this into a trilogy, I will also be working more on Wing Maker after I finish "Shards of Stardust" so I can focus on writing other characters for a bit. I thoroughly enjoy writing Grace and Cas, but I would like to try my hand at other characters as well. I'm excited to get to try my hand at Gabriel! Anyways, sorry this took so long to come out, I've been busy with life, I also apologize for the serious OOC-ness that was Lucifer at the end of this chapter, but it's going to come into play in season 12 and 13's chapters that I will eventually start on.


	15. We happy few

"So, where were you?" Lucifer was reading one of the old archive books as chuck stood across the way,

"That's a…long story. How do you feel? I healed you." Lucifer didn't even look up from the book as he walked towards one of the tables. "Mm, yeah, didn't ask you too."

"Son, be reasonable." Chuck pleaded, he sounded like a real parent.

"One cosmic band-aid on my knee, and, what, you think we're—we're even now? Is it time for us to go play catch in the yard?" Grace stepped into the room, curious about the conversation, or what she'd heard anyways, "Screw you." She continued to look between the two as Deans voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Guys?"

"We're all accounted for, Dean-o!" the sound of feet on the metal stairs filled the empty silence, "Hey, how's it going in here?"

"Listen, I know I've been gone for a while. I missed a few million Birthdays."

"Yeah, and then the second your apes send a distress flare—boom!—daddy's home."

"No, that's not what happened."

"God, I wish I had some popcorn—" she snapped her fingers, wondering if she really could make things appear out of thin air, suddenly she was holding a bag of popcorn. "Oh, look at that." Chuck looked unimpressed. "Lucifer's right, you have some explaining to do."

"Hey, these apes saved your ass." Dean watched the popcorn show up out of nowhere and raised a brow.

"Hey, can you do that with chicks?" Now Grace looked unimpressed, "Focus, Dean." Lucifer snapped his fingers in an attempt to make Dean disappear, when nothing happened he went back to his book.

"He can't hurt you."

"Oh, so you're controlling me now?"

"No, it's just a safe guard." Lucifer looked like he was going to kill chuck, and as much as she'd love to see that fight, Sam interrupted, as usual.

"Hey, guys, uh, chuck, um…Grace, lucifer, Dean. Think we can try and focus here, you know? End of the world, common enemy, all that."

Lucifer rolled his eyes, closing his book before he stood, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Team Amara. Go, Amara."

"Lucifer…" Grace's tone held warning and his eyes found her, the angel was making an intimidation attempt against Chuck,

"You don't mean that."

"You're really not gonna say it?" the siblings watched curiously,

"He's not gonna say what?" Grace nudged Sam in the ribs, earning her a 'Bitch' face.

"Screw you." The angel turned, facing the siblings. "Screw all of you. You most of all Blondie." Grace quirked a brow, "And exactly what did I do to you? Incase you've forgotten you kept me prisoner in hell and I forgave you."

Lucifer got up in her face, staring down at her, his gaze intense. He wondered if she would break under his gaze but instead something else happened, her eyes shifted from blue to glowing gold.

"You can't intimidate me, Lucifer. Take your Pissy fit somewhere else that's not in my face." The Archangel looked taken aback for a moment before he brushed past her, Sam and Dean to one of the guest rooms. Chuck looked at her, a small smile evident on his features that she stood up to the fallen Archangel as he walked towards a different room.

"Kids, huh?"

* * *

"Talk to him." Grace pushed the issue as she sat with her head rested in her hands.

"It won't do any good."

"Why not."

" 'cause I can't give him what he wants."

"And what's that?"

"What everyone wants—My sister, my children, you humans. An Apology. A big, wet, "I'm sorry""

"Well, so give it to him. It's not like he's asking for a weapon. Or for hell or for heaven. He's asking for words." Chuck turned to face them with a plate full of Pancakes

"I can't say I'm sorry if I'm not. What he wants an apology for, I did it for Humanity, for the world. Look, Lucifer wants what everybody wants—Amara Gone. Okay, let's just…give him a little time to cool off."

"Okay, well, I don't know if you noticed, but a little time is not something we have. The end is freakin' nigh." Grace picked up the plate of pancakes Chuck had put in front of her.

"Where are you going?" she turned and shrugged "To make a peace offering, plus…everyone loves pancakes, right?"

The men all raised an eyebrow, wondering how offering Satan pancakes would go.

* * *

"Lucifer." She knocked on the door but no answer came through the loud music, "LUCIFER!" She all but kicked the door in, suddenly the music turned down and she heard the twisting of the door handle.

"Oh, it's you." He looked unimpressed, his eyes drifting down to the plate in her hands before going back to her face, "What do you want?"

"I brought you food."

"I don't want it." He went to close the door but she stopped it. "Lucifer. I'm not asking." There was an almost wild look in the angel's eyes now as he stared her down.

"So, are you going to take the food?" begrudgingly he took the plate from her before giving her an expectant look.

"Uh, get out."

"This is Sam's room…"

"I know."

"So, your room is down there…" she pointed to the other end of the hallway

"And?" the two went back and forth for a while before she gave up "Whatever, just don't break anything, I don't want to have to hear about it."

"I don't wanna hear about it." He mimicked, she turned her attention back to him, "Geez, you really are the brother I wish I didn't have."

"And you're the sister no one wanted." Her mind flashed back to a similar conversation with Sam and Dean when she was still a child, a momentary look of hurt crossed her features.

" _You were nothing but an accident!"_ played repeatedly, like a broken record in her mind.

"Fuck you, eat your food. Leave the plate outside when you're done." She turned and walked away leaving lucifer confused.

* * *

One of you is going to have to, uh, go first. You know what, uh, lucifer, y-you, uh…you agreed to have a sit down if—god would show, so…"

"And, Chuck, you—you did say you'd talk." Lucifer gestured to chuck, "Him first. I'm the one who's owed an explanation." Chuck sighed and the three siblings looked on expectantly.

"Okay, let's try—let's try "I feel" statements." Dean looked at Sam, "Dr. Phil." As the siblings backed away to let the two talk.

"Oh, Yeah, of course. Obviously." The brothers took their seats and watched.

"I am sorry that you feel…that I betrayed you, that I acted without cause. I'm sorry that you can't see you gave me no choice." He looked at Sam and Dean as Grace crouched on the stairs.

"I'm good."

"You heard that, right?" Lucifer wore an "I-Told-You-So" expression.

"W-We all know that you are god, um, but….maybe could you be a-a little less…lordly."

"But I am—I-I'm the lord." It seems Chuck didn't understand. "Wow. There he goes."

"I did what I had to do. To create the world, I had to lock Amara away and when the Mark corrupted you and I saw that you posed a threat to human kind, I did the same with you."

"No, you betrayed me. You gave me the mark to lock her away, and when it changed me, when it did what the mark inevitably does…you threw me away. Yu never would have done that to her." Lucifer indicated to Grace who held her hands up in surrender.

"Hey, this isn't about me, Lucifer. Quit casting aspersions." Sam and Dean quirked their brows at the exchange.

"No, Son. The mark—you always cast a jaundiced glance at humans. The mark didn't change you it just made you more of what you already were."

"What I was was your son…your child."

"Why should I put you first above all others?"

"Do you have any idea what it's like to argue with your father when your father is god? Everything is a tautology with you. Everything is "Because I told you so." Everything's "it had to be done.""

"Pretty sure that's all fathers." Deans comment earned him a 'Shut-up' glance from his sister.

"Okay. Fine. Big picture, as God, you did what you had to do. But little picture—you sucked at being a dad." Even grace couldn't deny that, there was barely a handful of memories where he was even present during her life.

"Okay, maybe I didn't handle everything perfectly. But tell me…could I have kept human kind safe with you on the board? I know about your little bid to replace me with the angels. I also know that you held your sister captive to try and draw me out." Lovely…the spotlight was back on her. "Okay, "New god" what would you have done about you?"

"That is not the point!" Sam piped up from his spot on the cement stairs. "I-I can't believe I'm actually about to say this, but, um…Lucifer is right."

"And hell has frozen over…" dean looked up at Grace, as if telling her to shut up. All eyes were on the siblings now, chuck as if he wanted an explanation and Lucifer in mild surprise.

"A-All he wants is an apology. A-and you're too concerned about being right to—to give him one. But apologies aren't always about being right. Sometimes they're just about apologizing."

"Yeah, a-and the great thing about apologies is you don't have to mean them. You know, I-I lie and tell Sam and Grace I'm sorry all the time." Sam gave him a look and Grace slapped him as hard as she could upside the head.

"Ow! I'm Sorry." His words were insincere though and Grace rolled her eyes, "Let Dean be an example of why Lying is wrong, it's why he can't keep a girlfriend."

"Hey!"

"Tell me where the lie is, Dean." When their bickering ended the focus shifted back to Chuck and Lucifer.

"Okay, enough from the peanut gallery." Sam and Dean disappeared and she was left standing awkwardly on the stairs.

"What? What would you have done?"

"It doesn't matter. You were my father, and you forsook me."

"I did. I was supposed to love all creation equally. I wasn't supposed to have favorites. But you…you were mine." A brief memory flashed in her mind as she listened to them talk.

"I gave you the mark because I loved you the most…"

* * *

" _Lucifer!" the angel's eyes turned on her, he was younger in years than she was, but she was younger in appearance, resembling a human child, curly blonde hair hung in draped ringlets, eyes as deep as earths oceans and skin like ivory. She wore a goofy smile on her face._

" _There she is!"_

" _You didn't come and find me."_

" _I'm sorry, Avarin, I was busy with Father." She puffed out her cheeks, "You two are always busy, you never play with me anymore." He crouched down, "I'm sorry, Ava. Why not ask Michael or Gabriel to play your games?"_

" _Michael doesn't like me and Gabriel is really good at hiding." She frowned, he didn't like it when she was upset.._

" _How about this. I'll come find you when Father and I have finished, and we can play a game."_

" _Promise?" She peaked around Lucifer to see her father, a stern expression on his face._

" _Why does he always look so angry?" Lucifer caught god's expression "Father is…busy, he's working on a new project."_

" _Can I help?" The angel quirked a brow, "Maybe when you're older."_

" _When will that be."_

" _Lucifer, we have work to do." She didn't like when her father was so stern, but she plastered a smile on and gave Lucifer a light nudge, "Go on, daddy doesn't like to wait."_

* * *

After that he hadn't been the same, he had started pushing her away.

"So that's why…"

"I thought you were strong enough to bear it. And when I saw that I was wrong…when I watched my choice…devour my…most cherished son…I hated myself. And so I punished you and I am so sorry."

* * *

 _His promise had stayed unfulfilled, Lucifer had grown more an more distant, even cruel towards her and she didn't understand why._

" _You look like them."_

" _Like who?" she didn't understand, who were they? Who did she look like?_

" _Those flawed…disgusting…abortions." She flinched as each word carried malice._

" _I don't understand."_

" _Those disgusting humans, you look just like them!" there was a sharp pain across her face now and she saw red as she looked down at her hands, but she did not cry._

" _Lucifer?"_

" _I do not even want to look at you." He advanced on her, his blade drawn._

" _Lucifer, I'm scared…" she felt a firm hand on her shoulder and looked up into the face of her father._

" _That is enough, my son."_

" _Of course you'd show her favor, she looks like them."_

" _Daddy…"_

* * *

It made sense now, of course he'd received the mark, how else could he have helped seal Amara away, that's why he had been so cruel.

"Hey." She heard Sam as they came through the War room.

"So… are we good?" there was a shared glance between Lucifer and Chuck, Grace gave them the thumbs up.

"Okay. Great."

"So, what now?"

"We trap Amara, put her back in the box."

"Wait, what?"

"Yeah. Well, you were right she needs to be destroyed. But I won't kill her."

"Why not?" all eyes were on Chuck now, his eyes trailed back to Grace, "Amara's been caged for billions of years, but…you know, she was always there. She had t be there—you know, yin and yang, you know, uh, dark and light."

"English, Chuck." Dean was clearly tired of the rambling.

"There's a harmony, a balance in the universe. Light needs dark, dark needs light. If you blow one of them up, then, I mean…"

"It wouldn't be a good thing." Lucifer interjected, Grace wondered why they were beating around the bush so much.

"It'd be really not a good thing…like, end of reality, not good. And then there's her."

"Her?" all eyes were on Grace, she hated the spotlight

"You wipe out Amara and there's not telling what could happen to her."

"What could happen?"

"Your little sister here, is made up of elements of both God and Amara, she contains both light and darkness, hence being the perfect human prototype." Dean looked lost, which wasn't really a surprise, Sam just absorbed the information.

"So, wait a second…If she is both Chuck here, who in the equation is the light, and darkness, which is obviously Amara…then that means…" he seemed to be struggling with the equation.

"Oh my god…that's disgusting. I think I'm going to throw up…" Dean looked about as sick as he did when anyone even mentioned airplanes.

"So, my mom is… Amara?" Chuck gave a nod, "Technically speaking, yes." Graces eyes drifted to Dean.

"That's gross…" Sam looked confused now. "What's gross?"

"Dean kissed my mom!" Chuck quirked a brow

"You kissed my sister? Not cool, Man." Grace visibly shuddered at the thought.

"Okay, so we gift-wrap Amara." Leave it to Sam to put everyone back on track. "I mean, we got the team back together, so—"

"Not quite. We're still a few members short of the original line up."

"Yeah, first time, it took the combined strength of me and my brothers to weaken Amara before…daddy-o finished her off."

"Yeah, even then, it was close. No, with just the two of us, we'll lose." Grace looked offended

"All right…and I guess I'm just chopped liver." Chuck quirked a brow at the expression, "I don't want you anywhere near this fight."

"Well, too bad, I'm in this fight whether you want my help or not."

"She's kind of right, we need her. Especially if she's as strong as you said she is." Chuck frowned. "I said No, I won't bring her into this."

"I'm not asking."

"Okay, Great, looks like we'll need more group therapy if we even want to have s hot."

"Michael's in no condition to fight and it outside of my power to bring Gabriel and Raphael back."

"But you restored Castiel." Sam had a point, the amount of times the poor angel had died and he had found a way to bring him back each and every time.

"Archangels are different, they're the stuff of Primordial creation. Rebuilding them, it's—it's time we don't have."

"All right. So what do you need to win?"

"What do you got?"

* * *

"So what do we bring to the table to make up for archangel power?"

"We could try and find more hands of god."

"A little redundant." Chuck said waving his hands in the air, grace rolled her eyes.

"I mean…he's not wrong, we have the actual god" Sam and Dean both gave her a look and she sighed, "Fine…I guess I'll get back in the kitchen."

"Hey, make me a sandwich while you're at it."

"Fuck you, Dean." She flipped him the bird and chuck quirked his brow again.

"Well, what about Crowley. Big demon power, former king of hell. He was a player in his day."

* * *

"Stealing my moves, Dean? Let me guess, you got lucifer back in the fold. He snapped you here."

"No, it wasn't lucifer."

"And he didn't come alone." Crowley's eyes trailed to the petite blonde who stepped out of the shadows.

"Oooh, the princess came too."

"Can it." Crowley went to take another sip of his whiskey but dean grabbed the glass from him.

"Ah-Ah-Ah." He dumped the drink on the floor. "Time to sober up. You smell like a dumpster outside the liquor barn."

"What's this? Concern for me? I appreciate your attempts at bro-mantic rekindling, but I think we both agree that ship has sailed."

'That's not what this is about, Crowley." The former kings eyes trailed to the blonde. "We need your help."

* * *

"Getting these groups to enlist and then work together, it's not gonna be easy."

"Couldn't you just compel them?" Another smack to the back of the head from his sister.

"Ow!"

"I invented free will for a reason."

"So we're tying our hands on principle."

"No, you can't make an effective soldier by force. They have to choose this fight."

"But they're gonna wanna know they're backing a winner."

"So…" Grace looked around.

"Angel's tend not to disobey a direct order, but their numbers are few now so who knows. Crowley would join in for the glory alone, and Rowena…I'm not certain what her motivation would be."

* * *

"Game of thrones, it's musical chairs. Still…I wanted it—to go out with the crown on my head!"

"And that's what you offered them, a chance to stroke your ego?"

"And you wonder why they said no." Crowley looked between the siblings, intrigued.

"Well, we've got something better—a plan." Dean took a seat on one of the old chairs.

"Now, you can sit on the sidelines and watch the world die or you can fight." There was a moment of shared silence between the three.

"You know, to be king again, maybe you need to remember how to be a soldier." The former king contemplated her words carefully before playing in.

"What's the plan?"

* * *

"A page from the original playbook this time with witches and demons subbing for Archangels."

"I still don't like it. But why trap her when you can kill her, you know? I-I mean, I gotta admit, there's a lot less room for error if you shoot to kill."

"I explained why."

'Right, but why keep her in play? So she can escape and we can go through this all over again?"

"Dean, what is this about?"

"I—Nothing. Am I the only one thinking rationally here?"

"It's about her…well…both her's actually. It's about his girlfriend, but it's also about Ava, not that either of you have figured it out yet."

"Okay. Shut up."

"What does killing her have to do with me?"

"I mean, think about it. Dean Winchester meets the biggest evil in the universe, who also happens to be baby sister's biological mommy, and he takes a pass? Come on. Now he wants daddy to do what he couldn't."

"Is he right?" all eyes were on Dean now, "Oh, I'm not getting into it with him. Not gonna happen."

"Hey, Dean. You really don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?"

"If Amara dies, little Gracie might die too…or at least a part of her will cease to exist. Then again, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. We opened a vein for you three." Grace's expression shifted, was she going to die…again?

"I tried to kill her. And it didn't work."

"Maybe it didn't work because you didn't want it to work. Maybe you didn't want to kill her."

"You want god to kill Amara because you didn't want to Amara to be killed?"

"Yeah, maybe there's a part of me that just can't hurt her. But if she's already dead…"

"But if she's already dead…"

"Then she's already dead. Right."

"So…you'll have my own father possibly kill me…because you couldn't do it yourself?" Betrayal…that's how her expression read, it was clear in her eyes and the way her face contorted.

"That's why you want me out of the fight…you know something bad is going to happen and you don't want to take responsibility? I'm supposed to be able to rely on you…you're my family for fuck's sake!"

"Ava!"

"No! Don't you dare Ava me, Chuck Shurley, you were a piss poor author but you're even worse at being a parent." Her eyes had flickered to gold, one of the few things that set her apart from the humans she resembled.

"Well, this got uncomfortable."

"Dean…" Sam scoffed, trying to rationalize the decision, "…We always sweat this stuff, these choices. But, for once, we have god on our side. I mean, for once, we can actually do things his way."

* * *

"I don't hold grudges. Besides, that dog collar was a lovely touch, really made my eyes pop. Almost wore it here today."

"I have to disagree, I'm not fond of necklaces, much less collars…or, you know…being caged while you wear my mates skin like a suit."

"I'm glad you're such a good sport. And Ava, I thought we'd made amends."

"Oh, we have. But if you ever put a collar on me again, I'll rip off your meat suits junk and feed it to you, deep fried, like carnival food." She smiled. Dean's hands immediately covered his own crotch. Rowena looked impressed at the threat, this girl must have had some serious balls to threaten the devil.

"Hey, red. Looking gorgeous as ever. Hey, I think a little apology is in order."

"You think you're the first man to try and kill me? Hello, Fergus." Grace looked confused, "Who the fuck is Fergus?"

"Mother." The blonde looked between the two, "Wait, so you two are…mother and son? Damn, looks like someone got beat with the ugly stick…" Sam and Dean both snickered at the joke.

"I don't see the resemblance, I mean she's got sex appeal and you…look like a banana in a peel…"

"I like this one, Fergus, she's got a good head on her shoulders." A bright light flashed on the fire side of the room.

"Hello, my children." Everyone turned to face Chuck, but Crowley was the first to speak.

"Him?"

"Rowena. Crowley. It's good to finally meet you in person."

"Sorry about, well, everything I've done in my life. Really, y-you can't have been a fan."

"Oh, yeah. I've been quietly rooting against you both for some time now. Although, I can't deny you're one of my guilty pleasures."

Rowena laughed, Grace looked disturbed. "Oh, God."

"Oh, _god."_ Crowley mimicked, mirroring Graces disgust.

"All right, no flirting, and no fighting."

"Yeah, and no deals." Sam and Dean made sure to remind everyone why they were together. "No talks about who is owed what if we survive this."

"Nobody likes each other. It doesn't matter."

"We only have the fight ahead."

"Amara's looking for me. But I'm warded against her, for now. The second I drop the warding, she'll show. She'll be expecting a fight, and we'll give it to her. Shock and awe. Shock and Awe. You have your troops in position" the red haired witch rose her hand.

"Yes, Rowena?"

"Fabulous plan…god, but doesn't this strategy strike anyone as a wee bit un-strategic? Shouldn't we at least try and catch her off guard?"

"Is that sequence set in stone? Demon, Angel, Witch power? Seems to me that the first response should come from the most disposable force."

"Right! Good argument, doggie. Demon's first, it is." Lucifer stepped forward to "Help" Crowley.

"The weakest should go first. Naturally, that means the witches."

"Enough."

"After that, it's Lucifer's turn. Physical attack, one on one."

"What about Cas?"

"Oh, don't worry. Your pet's safety is my highest concern." Grace gave Lucifer a look and he returned it with sarcasm, if they survived this she was going to wring his neck. "Trust me, he's on board."

"Once she's been weakened, I will take the mark back from Amara and use it to seal her away. You ready?"

"Yeah."

"Wait, what?"

"God and I talked about this." Grace frowned. "I know you two are my big brother and all, but should this decision have been unanimous?"

"Someone needs to bear the mark."

"Well, that should be me. I-I've had it before. I'm damaged goods."

"Exactly. You've already been tainted. I can't transfer it to you. Sam volunteered." Dean pulled Sam off to the side.

"First Cas is making Kamikaze side plans and now you? You couldn't have talked to me?"

"We did talk."

"And what happens when the mark turns you psycho, Then what?"

"You…lock me up where I can't hurt anyone and you throw away the key."

"Sam, No."

"Dean, you told me you couldn't beat Amara, that it would have to be me. Well, this is it—me."

"I'm just saying, angel's can hurt her. It's worked before."

"If you call giving Amara a mild case of the pukes working."

"We're trying to disorientate her as much as hurt her. You underestimate witchcraft, Fergus, always have."

"If anything, she's inoculated. Full-scale demon attack. That's our "X" factor. Lucifer laughed.

"Look, we've talked about this it's time to do the smart thing."

"So what am I supposed to do?, just sit by and watch?"

"No. we're both in this fight. You're leading this army."

"Oh, you mean babysitting the bad guys?" Grace frowned, "Okay, Sam. Okay. God's plan."

* * *

The lights flickered inside the warehouse, the demons had gone into play, which meant Rowena had been successful in luring Amara. Crowley had left the building. It was a quite minute or two until the door opened and in walked Amara, looking slightly worse for wear. Her eyes looked around wildly before landing on Chuck.

"Hello, Brother. You cheated…" Grace stepped in front of her father and brothers. "Again. But-" Lucifer lunged at her from behind, spearing her through the middle, Amara fell to the ground and Lucifer prepared to strike her again.

"Son." The archangel stopped his attack. "I'm sorry." Chuck looked down at Amara before placing a gentle hand on Grace's shoulder, motioning for her to stand down.

"For this. For everything."

"An apology at last. What's sorry to me? I spent millions of years crammed into that cage…alone…and afraid, wishing—begging for death because of you! And what was my crime, brother?"

"The world needed to be born! And you wouldn't let me!" chucks eyes shifted to grace, "She needed to survive." Amara's eyes drifted to the blonde woman.

"I know you. from before, with Lucifer." Chuck knelt down to look his sister in the eyes.

"Amara, you gave me no choice."

"That's your story, not mine. The real reason you banished me, why I couldn't be allowed to exist…you couldn't stand it. No, we were equals. We weren't great or powerful, because we stood only in relation to one each other. You think you made the archangel to bring light? No. you made them to create lesser beings, to make you large, to make you lord. It was Ego! You wanted to be big!"

"That's true. But it isn't the whole truth. I didn't just make the angels…I made her, too." He motioned to Grace, "Out of parts of the two of us. She's better than we were, not one or the other. There's a value, a glory in creation…that's greater and truer than my pride or my ego. Call it Grace, call it being!"

Amara's eyes trailed to Grace again, a small look of wonder present in her brown eyes. "Whatever it is, it didn't come from my hands. It was there…waiting to be born. It just _is,_ as you and I just _were_. Since you've been freed, I know that you've seen it. Felt it." Chuck and Amara both looked to Dean who's eyes immediately darted to t he floor like a school child who's eyes had just met his crush.

"It didn't have to be like this. I loved you, Brother." She laughed, taking another look at Grace, some surprise still lingered at knowing she had a child.

"Well…you've won again. Finish it. Kill me." She was just accepting it? That didn't make an ounce of sense.

"I'm sorry." There was sharp pang in graces chest as her father began transferring the mark.

"No. no, no!" she could hear her brothers pain s the mark seared itself into his skin.

"I'm so sorry."

"No. Not again!" her hand shot out and Grabbed chuck by the neck, the pain in her chest got worse.

"Not ever again!" Lucifer made to attack her again but was thrown back.

"Stop…" her voice was strangled as Amara continued her tirade.

"Good bye, Nephew" she expelled lucifer from Castiel, Dean took the opportunity to try and land a hit but also got blasted back.

"Please…stop…"

"I'd die a million times and murder you a million more before going back there! Tell me…if you won't change, why should I?" shadows spread along the floor.

"Amara, No!" one of the shadows stabbed through Chucks chest, creating a burst of light, a similar hole appeared on Grace's torso, so Chuck hadn't been lying, if one of them went, so did she. There was two…three…the mark hade removed itself from Sam's arm and both brothers watched in horror.

"Sorry, brother." There was a burst of bright light as Amara continued stabbing chuck, Sam and Dean shielded their eyes. When it finally cleared, both siblings were horrified.

"No. Amara, what have you done?"

"They're dead. God…and Grace…they're dead."

"No. they're dying. My brother will dim…and fade away into nothing, but not until he sees what comes next. Not until he watches this world, everything he created, everything he loves turn to ash." Amara stepped over to look at her artificially created daughter

"As for her…who's to say, Maybe she'll wake up…maybe she won't. Either way, welcome to the end."

* * *

I am sorry that this update took so long, my computer crapped out on me so I had to get it fixed, so it's been a long week. I also am losing steam on this project because it's not getting any feedback, I enjoy hearing from my readers, but it always seems to be an emoji of some sort which doesn't help my Motivation. Anyways, here is chapter 15, sorry not sorry that I left you all on a cliff hanger. I have got a few more things on the way in terms of projects, Project Icarus is in the works, but will not be posted until this story is finished, I'm also cutting it down from another 10 chapters. So we'll see what we end at.


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